Roll Of Thunder
by Delectable Sweetness
Summary: (Sparky AU) She never thought her life could have gotten worse after being abused and cheated on. When she and John confess their feelings for one another, she finally thought things were beginning to look up. But their relationship is put to the test when a familiar face turns up bent on destroying everything she had worked so hard to hide, to keep.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or any of its character's. No copy infringement intended. However, I do own my own writing, my own characters and the plot to this story, Delectable Sweetness©.**

**Summary: She never thought her life could have gotten worse after being abused and cheated on. When she and John confess their feelings for one another, she finally thought things were beginning to look up. But their relationship is put to the test when a familiar face turns up bent on destroying everything she had worked so hard to hide, to keep. **

**Author's Note: I know I write a lot of AU stories. I really hope you don't mind them. This is something I've been working on for a while, so I hope you all like it. Also, I'm working on a new Sparky story. It's gonna be a short one, maybe ten chapters long, and **_**is**_** set in the Atlantis Universe. It'll be set just after season five, and will definitely be Sparky, you can count on that! **

**I just can't seem to tame the plot bunnies, hehe. :) But that is a good thing. That means lots of Sparky stories in the future. :P**

**Also, I have changed both John and Elizabeth's professions in this. John is a detective and Elizabeth is a medical examiner, and its set in New York. I know, my three multi-chapter stories are set in New York. What can I say; I have a thing for New York (I'd love to go there), hehe. :P**

**Anyway, sorry for rambling and hope you enjoy.**

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**Chapter One**

_August 1__st__._

"GET OUT!" Elizabeth screamed, hurling another plate towards the cheating scum who was now standing in front of her trying to defend his actions.

He ducked, the plate hitting the wall instead of its intended target. "Liz please-" She hated when he called her 'Liz.'

She cut him off. "Get out, now, and take your stupid tramp with you!" She seethed with rage, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared between him and his little miss bimbo, who had the nerve to stand in her apartment, watching as she fought with her now ex-lover.

"But, I love you, Liz," he said, trying to act so innocent.

Elizabeth stopped, gob smacked at his statement. He _loved_ her! She saw red and started towards him. "You _love_ me?!" She said in disbelief, shoving him. "If you loved me, then you wouldn't have cheated on me with your stupid whore or hit me whenever you felt like it." She scoffed. "Cheating and a beating is your definition of love. Excuse me while I vomit," she said sarcastically.

Shoving him towards the door, she glared at him, fuming. She couldn't believe she had ever loved him. He had never deserved her love. But had it ever really been love? After all, all he ever did was cheat on her and then beat her. He had threatened to kill her once and it had been a threat she had taken very seriously every time he had hit her, telling her that she better not open her mouth.

Now though, she was kicking him out. She couldn't take it anymore! She didn't know where this sudden surge of confidence had come from, but all she did know was that she had had enough of his pleading and apologies. He had been cheating on her for months and he'd thought she hadn't known, but she'd known. Of course she'd known.

Most nights he would come home smelling of perfume and have lipstick stains on his shirt collar. He'd always use work as an excuse for coming home late. She had known it was a lie, but she had been too terrified to leave him. He had manipulated her into believing that he had loved her and that it had been her fault whenever he had hit her. Unfortunately for her, her love had been blind and she hadn't been able to see past it.

When she reached the front door to her apartment she opened it, pushing him out along with his whore. "Don't _ever_ come back!" She growled out before slamming the door in his face.

Leaning against the mahogany door, she bit her bottom lip as she tried to contain her sobs, but she couldn't. Sliding down the door, she sat on the hardwood floor, wrapping her arms around her knees and pulling them up against her chest. She rested her head against her raised knees and sobbed, hot tears leaving wet trails down her cheeks.

Despite everything that had happened over the last several months, she had been truly ecstatic this morning thanks to her promotion to Chief Medical Examiner. Of course, Samantha Carter, her boss, was still above her, but she didn't care. It was a position that she had been after for the last year and now that she finally had it, she had been itching to tell everyone, especially Michael. She'd always had this strange need to please him. Though, she now found herself suddenly realizing that that need had come from her hopes of him not abusing her anymore if she pleased him enough, and she had hoped that her promotion would have done that, but that thought had been short lived when she had entered her apartment.

The soft music that had been playing had thoroughly confused her, but just for a second she had thought that Michael might have had something planned, a special evening. Those special evenings were rare and usually in lieu of him hitting her and promising never to do it again. The longest he had ever gone without hitting her after making a promise not to, had been a week.

She couldn't honestly remember the last _truly_ romantic thing he had ever done for her.

She could clearly remember – not that it'd been that long ago – how she had called out his name, but had gotten no answer. She knew that he had been home because his car had been parked in the complex parking lot. She hadn't been truly surprised when she had pushed open the bedroom door and had found him in bed with his mistress.

She felt a little queasy just thinking about it.

She sighed.

She knew he had been cheating on her and it made her wonder. How many times had he had a different woman in their bed? She shivered at the thought. It disgusted her. She would have never done something like that to him. She had been completely faithful to him throughout their entire relationship, no matter how bad it had been. She had never cheated on him, not once. Though, she had had the opportunities to do so, but she had never taken them because she had "loved" him.

She frowned, swiping at her tears.

Granted she had never cheated on him and maybe she had even loved him at one point, but she couldn't deny that her heart belonged to someone else, someone who had always been there for her and was the most amazing person in the world. She wasn't really sure when she had fallen in love with him, but it had been long before she had met Michael. She had never told him how she had felt about him, though, just in case he hadn't felt the same way.

He was her best friend and always would be. She knew he would always be there for her no matter what and she was grateful for that, grateful that she had him in her life, even if they could be nothing more than just friends.

Sniffling, she dried her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket, pulling her phone out of her pocket and dialling in the familiar number. Holding the phone up to her ear, she tried to get a control on her sobs while she waited for him to pick up. She needed him now more than ever.

Finally, he answered, picking up on the third ring.

_"Hello?" _ He spoke sleepily.

"John…" she trailed off, her voice heavy with emotion.

_"'Lizabeth? What's wrong? Is everything alright?" _ He sounded genuinely worried.

"No." She started to cry again. "C-could you come… o-over?" She sobbed, sniffling.

_"I'll be right over," _he said.

"O-k-kay." She hung up the phone, sobbing once again.

Why was she even crying?

That asshole didn't deserve her tears. He really wasn't worth it, but she couldn't help herself. It was just so hard not to cry. His cheating had been practically thrown in her face and it made her feel even worse about herself. She felt so fucking stupid for getting herself into a mess like this!

Pulling in a shaky breath, she picked herself up off of the floor. Miserably, she walked over to her couch and sat down. Picking up the remote, she turned on the television, not paying any attention to what was now on. She just wanted John to hurry up and get here. She really needed to feel him comfort her right now. He always knew how to make her feel better about herself and put a smile on her face. It just made her love him even more, which surprisingly she thought, was impossible because she already loved him more than anything.

God, she really had been a fool. She should have just told him.

**~xoXox~**

Not ten minutes later a knock came to the door. Drying her red, puffy eyes, she sniffled as she got up off of the couch and headed towards the front door.

"Elizabeth?" A familiar voice called from the other side.

When she reached the door, she opened it to reveal John. She looked up at him, staring into his gorgeous hazel eyes. He had concern written all over his face. She instantly broke down again. John stepped into her apartment and wrapped her up in his big arms, pulling her into his warm embrace. He closed the door behind him and brought her over to the couch, pulling her down beside him and keeping his arms wrapped around her. Burying her head in his chest, she continued to sob.

John gently let his hand run up and down her back, soothing her. "What happened, 'Lizabeth?" He asked concerned.

Looking up, she stared into his eyes. "I-I came home… and caught, M-Michael in bed with another… _woman!_"

John's eyes went wide. "What?"

She nodded. "I don't know why I'm so shocked. He's been cheating on me for months. I think it's just the fact that he did it in our bed." She rested her head back against his chest once again and listened to his steady heartbeat. She wasn't going to tell him about the abuse, not just yet.

He growled. "What kind of a stupid son-of-a-bitch cheats on his girlfriend, but especially when he has a woman as amazing as you," he said the last part softly.

Elizabeth smiled a little. "You really know how to make me feel better, John. Thank you." She snuggled up against him some more, loving the feel of his warm body.

"I'd do anything for you, 'Lizabeth, you know that," he whispered as he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

Elizabeth sighed and closed her eyes. She was so tired. The day had been a tiring one and the night of arguing hadn't helped matters either. It had tired her out more than anything and all she wanted to do was go to sleep. Wrapping her arms around John's waist, she made herself comfortable. She was glad that he was here with her. He made her feel so safe and that was what she needed – to feel safe and loved.

She fingered the cloth of his black t-shirt as she closed her eyes and let the darkness consume her with the knowledge that when she woke up John would still be here.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? Was it any good? Please don't hate me? :P More will be explained next chapter. I have this story practically written, by the way, so you won't have to wait ages for an update. :) **

**Anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts. Review please. :) **


	2. Chapter 2

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**Chapter Two**

John sat on Elizabeth's couch just listening to her soft breathing. She had fallen asleep only just a few minutes ago. He had seen how tired and upset she had been and it had hurt him to have to see her like that. He loved seeing her happy and with a smile on her face, not hurt and broken.

He gritted his teeth, anger boiling up inside of him. If he ever saw Michael again he was going to kill him for what he did to Elizabeth.

How could he have cheated on Elizabeth?

He knew that Elizabeth loved Michael, but it was obvious that he didn't love her, not if he was cheating on her – he had just used her! John instinctively pulled Elizabeth closer, wrapping his arms around her tighter. The urge to protect her, to shield her from anymore hurt was incredibly strong. He loved her… more than anything.

Despite being known as a cocky playboy, he knew that she was the only woman for him and that the only reason he hadn't settled down and that he slept around – well, not a lot – was because she had been with Michael. She had been untouchable. He'd never told her how he truly felt, how he wanted their relationship to be more than just good friends. He wanted to make a life with her, settle down and have a family with her. He would do anything for her. He would give her the world if he could. Elizabeth deserved the best.

But by the time he had realized that his feelings for her were more than friendly it had been too late. She had already started dating Michael and he had seen how happy she had been with him, but he had always gotten the feeling that she wasn't truly happy with him. The truth of the matter was John had loved Elizabeth the first day he had met her. It seemed insane, but it was true.

She was such a beautiful woman, but she was also kind, smart, caring and generous and insanely patient, qualities that made him fall more and more in love with her with each day that passed.

She was more than just a one night stand to him.

He sighed as he looked at his watch – it was 02:00am. He was absolutely beat after working a long shift at the 1-6 precinct, but that didn't stop him from wanting to be with her tonight. She needed him and no matter what, he would always be here for her.

He moved his gaze back to Elizabeth, his hazel eyes taking in her peaceful features. God, he loved her so much.

Rubbing his sleep heavy eyes, he scooped Elizabeth up into his arms and held her close. He could feel the heat radiating from her body as he walked towards her bedroom, and he wasn't going to lie, he quite enjoyed the feeling, especially of her body pressed against his. Every time she hugged him, gave him a kiss on the cheek or even just gave him a smile, it would send a tingle down his spine.

The urge to tell her that he was in love with her was strong, but he couldn't, not now. Not after she had just gotten out of a bad relationship. She might think he was only after one thing - sex.

John scoffed at himself.

Of course she wouldn't think that! They had known each other for five years. They were closer to each other than they were their actual families. They were best friends, but John wished they could be more than that. Oh, how he longed for it, longed to kiss and caress her, to make her his and only his. He vowed that one day it would happen. He was going to tell her how he really felt.

As he neared her room door, her eyes fluttered open. She groaned, shaking her head. "Not that room," she muttered.

"What?"

"I don't want to sleep in there," she said before drifting off back to sleep, burying her head in his chest.

John just nodded in understanding. He couldn't blame her for not wanting to sleep in _that_ bed, especially after that son-of-a-bitch had one of his mistresses in it. He shuddered a little. He would never do that to Elizabeth. Why any man would cheat on a woman like Elizabeth was beyond him. He just didn't understand it.

He walked towards the guest room still holding Elizabeth close. When he reached it, he shifted Elizabeth, so that he was able to open the room door while he was still holding her. Gently pushing it open with his foot, he walked inside and moved over to the massive bed, pulling down the covers and gently placing Elizabeth on it.

Gently lifting up her leg, he slipped off her shoe and did the same with the other one. He moved back up and sat on the edge of the bed, sitting Elizabeth up as best as he could, so he could take off her jacket. He sighed as he stood up. She still had her trousers on, but he knew he wasn't going to take them off. That was something that he would not do without her permission. If he did, he knew that when he woke up in the morning there would be a furious Elizabeth standing over him, poised, yet ready to kill. He laughed lightly to himself. She was so adorable when she was angry, even cuter when she was asleep.

He pulled the blankets up over her and tucked her in, making sure that she was nice and snug. It was a freezing night and he didn't want her to be cold. Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, breathing in her intoxicating scent. He groaned a little. She smelled amazing, the aroma of lavender still heavy in her curls. "Goodnight," he whispered softly into her curly brown hair.

As he was turning to walk out the door, he got the shock of his life when he heard Elizabeth mumbling, "love you..."

John's eyes went wide, his breath caught in his throat and his heart constricted in his chest. Did she just say that? He turned back around to look at her and noticed that she was still asleep. A small smile spread across his face. She loved him? She actually loved him. Well, he hoped anyway.

He walked out of the room and gently closed the door behind him. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he collapsed down on the couch, as he thought about the words that Elizabeth had uttered out of her beautiful mouth.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth shot up in the bed, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. She had had another damn nightmare, one of the few that she'd been having for the last several months. Michael was beating her over and over again until he had finally… killed her. It frightened her to her very core. Every time she had found herself at the brunt of Michael's rage, she had wondered if this time was going to be the last time, wondered if he would end up killing her. Thankfully he hadn't, but he had left her emotionally and physically scarred. Now, all that was left was for her to piece her broken life back together, hopefully with John by her side. All she had to do now was tell him how she felt. _Easier said than done!_

Glancing to the nightstand, she groaned when she realized that she wasn't in her room in her own bed. Flopping back down against the pillows, she shuddered slightly. She was glad that she wasn't in her bed. She couldn't stay in it after that sick fuck had one of his bimbos in it. She was definitely going to need a new mattress and she was burning the bed set. No way was she keeping that.

She sighed as she realized that sleep wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. Rolling onto her side, she looked out the window and noticed that it was still dark, which meant that it was still the middle of the night. She knew she couldn't have gotten more than two hours sleep. In frustration, she kicked down the blankets and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Glancing down, she noticed that she was still wearing her work pants. She ran her hands through her hair as she remembered John had carried her in here. She smiled. He was such the gentleman. She knew that under his tough, macho façade laid a big huggable bear.

Getting out of the bed, she left the guest room and headed towards her room. Walking into her room, she glanced at the clock that was on the night stand – 3:30am. She moved to her wardrobe and pulled out a pair of pyjama shorts and a top and pulled them on. She then pulled a small blanket out from the bottom of her wardrobe and left her room, walking out into the living room.

She smiled when she seen John fast asleep on the couch. Stopping in front of the couch, her smile got bigger at how peaceful he looked. Unfolding the blanket she held it in her hands, biting her lower lip. She just felt like lying down next to John and snuggling up close to him. She sighed. She couldn't do that, could she?

Though, she seemed to sleep better whenever she was near John and she really was tired, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep if she went back to bed, so it would only make sense if she lay on the couch next to, John, right? Just so she could get to sleep of course. She grinned. It made perfect sense. After all, she had to sleep, didn't she?

Smiling, she lay down on the couch beside John and draped the blanket over the two of them. She snuggled up against him, her back pressed against his chest. He stirred, but didn't wake. Elizabeth's heart started to race when John unconsciously draped his arm over her and pulled her close.

Smiling, she closed her eyes. It made perfect sense.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? Only two chapters in, but do you think it's moving too fast?**

**Review please. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

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**Chapter Three**

Michael walked down the street towards his apartment, growling in anger. How dare that stupid bitch kick him out? She couldn't do that. He owned her. She was supposed to obey his rules and listen to him. _Have the many beatings taught her nothing?_ He thought angrily to himself.

Despite what most people thought, he thought it was okay to hit a woman. It showed that he had the power and not them. He got a rush every time he saw a woman cowering before him, begging for him not to hit them, but he just couldn't resist. The urge to do so was just a sweet temptation that was too good to miss.

When he reached his apartment complex, he angrily shoved the key into the door and unlocked it, slamming it behind him. As he walked across the marble floor, the security man just looked at him, but Michael paid no attention. Instead he just got on the elevator and pressed the button for his floor.

He was seething with rage. _She probably ran straight to that detective friend of hers, _he thought bitterly. He knew she loved him – Joe… John… whatever his name was. He hadn't really taken the time to learn or care about her friends.

Every time she would look at him or give him a smile, it sent Michael over the edge. He had been absolutely convinced that she had been cheating on him with that stupid detective. It'd always enrage him even more, so he would just hit her harder for it. He loved seeing her squirm and hear her cry out. Only he was allowed to cheat. After all, he was the man and the man could do whatever he wanted – the woman had to follow and obey orders.

When the elevator dinged, letting him know that it had stopped on his floor, he stepped out of it, still fuming.

He was going to show her that nobody dumped him and got away with it. Oh, how he was going to make her pay. It sent a sweet chill down his spine just thinking about how he was going to make her cower before him.

**~xoXox~**

John awoke sometime in the morning with something warm pressed against his body. He frowned and slowly opened his eyes, realizing that he had his arms wrapped around that something as well. When his eyes were opened fully, he got the fright of his life when he seen a head of brown, curly hair right in front of his face. It took him a moment to realise that it was Elizabeth lying on the couch with him and that he had his arms wrapped around her. Raising his head, he looked down at her and noticed that she was still asleep. He dropped his head back to the small pillow and smiled. _She must have woken up in the middle of the night, _he thought. He didn't mind though. He was quite happy. He had gotten his wish after all. He had wanted to sleep with Elizabeth wrapped up in his arms and now here he was with Elizabeth wrapped up in his arms.

The smile that occupied his face soon vanished when he noticed a bruise on the back of Elizabeth's shoulder. He gently moved her hair so that he could get a better look. He gasped in shock. It was massive and it looked fresh, too. Now that his eyes were fully open and he knew what he was looking at, he noticed smaller bruises down along her arm. Some were new while others were starting to fade away. He noticed that one bruise looked like somebody had grabbed her. He growled. Michael had done this. He knew he had.

Why hadn't Elizabeth told him? He would have protected her. Guilt started to seep through him. He should have known that this had been happening. He was her best friend and he had let this happen. How had he not noticed?

He knew that if there were bruises along her arms and back then there were more than likely bruises marring the rest of her body. He moved one arm from around her and went to move the blanket away from her legs, but he stopped, hesitating. Maybe he shouldn't.

He sighed.

It wasn't as if he was stripping her off or looking at her naked. He had to know, he had to see for himself. Moving the blanket away a bit, what he could see of her legs made him gasp. They were just as bad as her arms. His eyes started to water up. She had suffered through that alone. She shouldn't have had to. Fixing the blanket on her, he wrapped his arm back around her and pulled her closer, burying his head in her hair.

He loved her and he had failed to protect her from a complete monster.

A little while later John heard Elizabeth groan slightly as she started to stir and he knew that she was starting to wake up. He sighed a little. Now, he had to ask her about the abuse. He didn't want to upset her, but Michael had been abusing her and she had never told him.

John stared into her gorgeous green eyes when she opened them and tilted her head a little as she gave him a sheepish smile. He kissed her cheek. "Why didn't you tell me about the abuse?" He asked in a soft whisper.

"What?" Elizabeth sat up so fast that she ended up falling off of the couch. She sat on the ground and shook her head.

John sighed and sat up. "'Liza-"

She jumped up, cutting him off. "How about some coffee? Do you want some coffee? I could use some coffee," she spoke hurriedly as she walked out to the kitchen.

John got up and followed after her. He knew that she was trying to avoid the question, but he wasn't going to let it drop. He wanted to know why she had never told him. Why hadn't she felt comfortable confiding in him about it? He could have done something to stop it. He would have made Michael regret ever doing that to Elizabeth. If he ever saw him again he was going to kill him. No, scratch that! As soon as Elizabeth told him what the hell had happened, he was going to kill Michael!

John walked into the kitchen and seen Elizabeth standing by the kettle, watching it boil. He could see the bruises that marred her cream skin and it made his anger seem to boil even more. "So…" he trailed off, hoping she would tell him.

She looked at him over her shoulder. "Would you like breakfast? I can make eggs if you want or pancakes. Which do you prefer?" She asked walking to the fridge.

Moving over to the fridge, John put his hand on the cold door, preventing Elizabeth from opening it. She looked at him with wide eyes and he looked back at her. "Stop trying to avoid the question, Elizabeth!"

Sighing, Elizabeth walked back over to the kettle when it boiled. "John, please just drop it? It's over now," she pleaded.

He walked up behind her. "I can't do that, 'Lizabeth. He abused you and I want to know how long he was doing it for." He tried to control his temper.

After all, he wasn't angry at her, but at Michael. He hated him and nothing was ever going to change that. He waited for Elizabeth to answer him.

She sighed as she put the kettle down after filling up the two cups with hot water. "It started not long after we got together," she whispered, barely audible.

John strained to hear her. "What?"

She turned to him, but averted her eyes. "It started m-months ago."

John gave a gruff nod. Hearing that sent his anger over the edge! He turned and walked out of the kitchen, well aware that Elizabeth was behind him.

"John?" She called, sounding worried.

John ignored her. He couldn't handle hearing this right now. It had been going on for months and she hadn't told him? He had to get away from here and go somewhere to cool down. He picked his jacket up off of the couch as he walked towards the front door.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?" She sounded really worried now. "John?!"

It was the last thing he heard before slamming the door shut as he left her apartment. He thought about maybe going to Michael's apartment and beating the crap out of him. Oh, how he thought about doing that, but Elizabeth would just get angry at him, so he did the only thing he could do. He went to their spot to cool down.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth stood there shocked. Had that just happened? John had… left. He had actually left. She was frozen in her spot by the couch. Was he mad at her?

Sliding down onto the hardwood floor, she started sobbing. She had ruined everything. John wasn't going to want her now, not after she had lied to him about the abuse. Maybe if she had have told him in the first place things might have been different. She knew he would have protected her and would have let nothing happen to her, but she had just been so afraid. Now, he probably wouldn't want to be near her anymore because she had lied to him, kept such a secret away from him.

Why would he want her anyway? She was nothing but a battered and broken woman. He deserved somebody so much better. Maybe it was a good thing she hadn't told him how she truly felt. It saved a lot of embarrassment on her part.

She stopped sobbing, sniffling her nose. No! She had to tell him how she felt. She loved him and he had to know that, even if he didn't feel the same way. She was going to tell him and apologise to him profusely for not telling him about the abuse from Michael.

Standing up, she ran into her room and grabbed the cardigan that was hanging on the back of her chair and threw it on her. Next, she grabbed a pair of sneakers and hastily threw them on her feet. She ran out of her bedroom and grabbed her keys and phone and ran out of her apartment, not caring that it was the middle of autumn and that she was still in her pyjamas.

Running onto the elevator she hit the button that said 'lobby' and waited impatiently for the elevator to stop. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Elizabeth darted off of it and across the lobby towards the front doors, receiving a curious stare from Frank, the security guard. She stopped just long enough to open one of the doors. Once she stepped outside, she stopped and looked both ways, looking for John. She had thought he might not have gotten too far, but it looked like he had.

Pulling out her phone, she shivered as the chilly autumn air hit her skin, making goose bumps appear. _Fuck me its cold, _she thought to herself. For August it was surprisingly freezing out. Wrapping her cardigan around her tighter, she dialled in John's number. She put the phone up to her ear and listened to it ring, all the while noticing the stares she was getting. People were probably wondering who the crazy woman was out in a cardigan and a pair of pyjama shorts. She realized that she should have changed, but she didn't have time to run back upstairs. She had to find John. She growled when she got his voicemail.

She hoped he hadn't gone to Michael's. She didn't want John to get into trouble because of that moron. She tried his phone again, but just got his voicemail. She knew that the phone wasn't turned off because it was ringing, which meant he was ignoring her calls. Her heart constricted and she felt like she had just been stabbed in it.

She sighed and picked a direction and decided to go with it. He wouldn't have gone to Michael's. He wouldn't hurt her like that. She didn't care about Michael, but she did care about John and what would happen to him if he attacked Michael. She knew full well that Michael would press charges. He hated John. He had shown his dislike of him on more than one occasion.

She kept walking and walking, not paying attention to where she was going. By the time she had realized where she was, she had walked all the way to Central Park. Well, she didn't live too far away from it in the first place. She smiled to herself. Her subconscious had known where she had been going even before she had. She was going to her and John's special place. Well, really in was just a big tree in the middle of Central Park, but it was their place. Whenever they would go there they would sit under it and just talk for hours. Those were some of the best moments of her life, times when she was happiest. She was always happiest when she was with John.

She shivered again as she headed for her and John's 'tree.' It wasn't too far away, only about another five minutes. She sighed.

When she was almost at the tree she noticed someone sitting under it. Walking closer, she realised it was John. She smiled. He was here. _Thank God, _she thought.

She walked closer and closer until she finally reached it. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest that she was surprised John didn't hear it. Walking quietly towards him, she closed the gap. "Is this spot taken?"

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? What will John say to Elizabeth? And will Elizabeth actually tell him how she feels?**

**Review please. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the lovely, kind reviews. I wasn't sure anyone would take to this story, but I'm glad you like it! :)**

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**Chapter Four**

Elizabeth gave John a small smile when he looked up at her. His eyes went wide. "Jesus Elizabeth! Are you trying to catch the flu?" He asked, staring at her unsuitable attire.

Elizabeth looked down at her pyjama shorts and cardigan. "Uh… well… I had to find you and…" she trailed off.

John stood up and took off his jacket, wrapping it around Elizabeth's shoulders. She sighed as the warm jacket hit her chilled skin. Uncrossing her arms, she slipped them in through the sleeves and buttoned it up. It rested just a few inches past her bottom. When she took in a deep breath she nearly died. The coat smelled like John. His scent was intoxicating. It was amazing. "Thank you." She gave him a small smile.

He sat back down on the grass. "Why are you here?" He asked quietly, not looking at her.

Elizabeth knelt down beside him and put a slender hand on his shoulder. "Because I had to find you. I'm sorry, John. I'm really, really, sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

John looked at her, hurt was evident in his hazel eyes and it made her heart constrict. "Why didn't you tell me? I thought you trusted me," he whispered, hurt.

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. He thought she didn't trust him? Of course she trusted him. She had never trusted anybody more in her entire life. "Oh John, of course I trust you. I would trust you with my life." She gripped his head in her hands, making sure that he was looking at her. "I… I was afraid. I thought he was going to kill me and… I was afraid that if I told you then he would do something to hurt… _you_," she whispered the last part.

John's expression softened and he pulled her into his warm embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him for dear life, afraid that if she let go he would disappear, which seemed silly, but she had thought he had left her and didn't want to be near her anymore. She had been so frightened of that. "Oh 'Lizabeth," he murmured quietly.

"I couldn't let that happen, John. I love you too much." Elizabeth stopped breathing, her eyes going wide at the realisation of what she had just said. _Great going Elizabeth, _she thought in frustration as she waited for his response. What if he didn't feel the same way? What if he thought she was silly? No! Surely he wouldn't think that.

"What?" He asked in disbelief.

Elizabeth pulled back and stared into John's gorgeous hazel eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. "I-I love you," she breathed out.

"I…" he trailed off, sighing as he ran a hand through his mussed up hair.

She sat back on her haunches and felt her eyes begin to sting with tears. She had just made a complete fool of herself. God, she was really stupid! No wonder Michael beat her all the time! _Way to go you idiot!_

"You- you don't feel the same way, do you?" She asked in a broken whisper, dropping her gaze to her lap.

"Elizabeth-"

"It doesn't matter," she cut him off, bringing up a hand to swipe at a fallen tear.

"It does matter!" He exclaimed, gripping her chin and forcing her to look at him. His eyes held nothing but kindness and something else she couldn't quite place. _Probably pity_, she thought bitterly. She didn't want his kindness or pity! Pushing his hand away, she stood up and began walking back towards the footpath. "Elizabeth?!" He called, but she just ignored him, too embarrassed to even look at him anymore. She gasped when she felt someone grab her arm and spin her around. "Elizabeth, why are you running away?"

"I'm not, I- Look, just forget about what I said!" She went to turn away, but his grip on her arm stopped her. She glared at him.

"I can't do that, Elizabeth!" He exclaimed in slight frustration.

"Then what's the problem?" She growled out. She knew that she was being irrational, but she just felt so embarrassed. She had probably just ruined her friendship with him. Now she had nobody!

"You just got outta a bad relationship – literally!" He pointed out. "You're confused – You don't-"

She yanked her arm out of his grasp. "Don't tell me how I feel, John!" She spat out.

"I'm sorry, okay? But I won't be a rebound, Elizabeth! I don't want you saying you love me if you don't!"

She closed her eyes and a small sigh escaped her lips. "I'm not just saying it," she whispered, opening her eyes and looking at him. "I _do_ love you! I've loved you a long time, John – _before_ I even _met_, Michael," she pointed out for clarification.

His face went blank, and then, "Fuck it!" He exclaimed and before she knew what was happening, he crushed his lips against hers. Her eyes went wide in surprise, but he pulled away before she could respond. "I love you, too," he replied.

A beaming smile appeared on Elizabeth's face. "You do?" She asked still smiling. John just nodded.

He brought his hand up and cupped the side of her face and she eased into his touch as he leaned in and gently pressed his lips against her own. "I do, but we have a lot to talk about."

"I know," she whispered and gave a quick nod of her head.

She smiled when John linked his fingers with hers. "Come on, let's get you home and into something warm."

She gave him a soft smile and fell into step with him.

He was most definitely not a rebound!

She didn't care what people thought about her jumping into a relationship with John right after dumping Michael. There really was no comparison between the two. The relationship with Michael had been fake, but she knew that her relationship with John was real and genuine.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth walked out of her room wearing a grey tracksuit, fluffy socks and a long pink top. Her brown curls were pulled back into a bun. Today was a day for relaxing. She wasn't working and so, she wasn't going to dress up. What would be the point? She planned on spending the whole day with John. Besides, they had a lot to talk about, and since he had the day off now was the perfect time to explain some things.

Walking over towards John, she giggled when he looked at her and his mouth dropped. "What?" She asked, slightly self-conscious. She didn't think it was a jaw dropping look, but John sure seemed to enjoy what he was looking at.

"Nothing, I just – I can enjoy looking at you whenever I want now." He gave her a cheeky grin, his gaze roaming over her. He licked his lips.

Elizabeth walked closer to him, stopping behind the couch and wrapping her arms around his neck from behind, resting her hands against his chest. She leaned down and whispered in his ear. "What makes you think that?"

"Because," John turned around and pulled her over the back of the couch. Elizabeth let out a yelp of surprise and before she knew it she was pinned beneath him. "I can do this," he said, sitting on top of her. For a moment her heart began racing in her chest as a flashback of Michael pinning her beneath him as he mercilessly attacked her overcame her. Her breathing became heavy and her eyes unfocused. She tried to calm herself down. John wouldn't hurt her. Her breath hitched when she felt a hand against her face. "'Lizabeth?" She found focus. "'Lizabeth, what's wrong?" John asked concerned.

"Nothing!" She shook her head.

"Elizabeth…" he sighed slightly, getting off of her. "Please don't lie to me?" He begged.

She gave a small nod and sat up. She reached out her hand and linked her fingers with his. "I'm sorry, I- I just… When you were on top of me I- I saw… Michael pinning me… down," she explained shakily. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

John shifted closer to her and pulled her into his warm embrace. She rested her head against his chest and gently tangled her fingers into the cotton of his t-shirt. "You have nothing to be sorry for, 'Lizabeth. I should have thought," he softly murmured, running his fingers through her hair. She smiled when she felt him place a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm so glad you're here," she admitted.

"I'm not going anywhere," he reassured, and she could hear the promise in his voice.

"Good," she snuggled against him some more and listened to the steady thrumming of his heartbeat. She raised her head a little when a knock came to the front door. "Ignore it," she mumbled, settling back down.

"I plan to," he breathed out.

The knock came again. This time louder and sounding more impatient. Elizabeth groaned. It didn't sound like whoever was at the door planned on leaving anytime soon. _Great! _ She thought. She reluctantly stood up, smiling when John stood up behind her and rested a hand against her hip. She leaned into him and titled her head. "How about you go make us some coffee while I answer the door?" She gave him a peck on the lips.

"Fine," he said reluctantly, giving her another kiss, holding it for a moment longer. He sighed in annoyance as he pulled away from her and began walking towards the kitchen.

She smiled dazedly as she walked over to the door and grasped the handle, pulling it open.

She let out a scream and then everything went black.

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**Author's Note: What did you think? So, they told each other how they feel. I know it' quick, but there's lots more to come! **

**Review Please. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Another update for you lovely people. I love quick updates, don't you? I just wish I could get my other stories updated as quick for you! But I wasn't joking when I said that I had this completely written out, so this one will have quick updates! Yay! :)**

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**Chapter Five**

_Smash! _The mug John had been holding dropped and smashed onto the floor when he heard a scream coming from the room next door. His heart started racing and he immediately started panicking. He reached a hand around to his back, looking for his standard issued weapon, but it wasn't there. "Fuck!" He cursed under his breath. He forgot he didn't have it on him. He hadn't thought to bring it when he had come over to Elizabeth's. He hadn't thought he would have needed it, but ultimately he had.

He quietly pushed the kitchen door open, peering into the living room. He saw Elizabeth lying on the ground, blood coming from her head. He gasped. He hoped she was just unconscious and not… dead. He couldn't handle it if she was. They had finally told each other their true feelings. It couldn't be over. No! He refused to believe that.

He saw a blonde haired man crouched down and leaning over her. John growled. It was Michael. John walked up quietly behind him, wanting to take him by surprise, but when he pulled out a sliver bladed weapon he jumped at him, knocking him off balance and onto the floor away from Elizabeth.

John wrestled him, hitting him over and over again. Nobody hurt Elizabeth and got away with it. Michael raised his hand and brought it down, plunging the sharp blade into John's arm. John fell off of Michael and onto the floor. Michael took this time to get up and try and get away, but John was faster. He pulled the knife out of his shoulder and threw it across the room. He got up and tackled Michael to the ground. He didn't pay attention to the pain that shot through him as he did it. He had to protect Elizabeth from this piece of shit.

The both of them wrestled on the ground, throwing punch after punch at one another. John hit Michael a punch in the face, knocking him senseless. "That was for hurting, Elizabeth." He hit him again. "That was for treating her like crap." He hit him one more time before the man underneath him lost consciousness. "And that," he said panting, "is for pissing me off."

John dropped the dirt-bag against the hardwood floor and got up off of him. He immediately forgot about the pain in his shoulder as he hastily made his way towards Elizabeth. He picked up the phone and dialled in Teyla's number. He crouched down beside Elizabeth, the crimson coloured liquid pouring down her face. The wound was pretty bad. He held the phone up to his ear.

"_Detective Emmagan,"_Teyla answered.

"Teyla, it's John," he said hurriedly.

"_John, what's wrong?" _She sounded worried.

"I need you to come to, Elizabeth's place and call an ambulance, too. Michael is after attacking, Elizabeth," he spoke hurriedly.

"_We're on our way." _She hung up.

John put the phone back on the press and picked up Elizabeth's limp form, wincing as he did so. He carried her towards the couch and gently placed her down. He ran into the kitchen and grabbed a cloth. Coming back out, he sat down on the couch beside her and held the cloth to the oozing wound on her forehead. "It's going to be okay. Help is on the way, baby," he soothed as he brushed some of her messed hair back off of her face.

Now that his adrenaline had gone down, John could feel the affects of the stab wound full on. His shoulder was throbbing and he was starting to feel dizzy from loss of blood, but he didn't care. All he cared about was keeping Elizabeth safe. He shot a glance towards Michael – he was still unconscious. John let out a small sigh of relief when he heard sirens coming ever closer. Hopefully they wouldn't be too much longer.

He shook his head, trying to shake away the dizziness, but it wasn't working. He could feel the hot liquid running down his arm. He let go of the cloth and placed his hand over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but it didn't help. He could feel the warm liquid ooze through his fingers.

Just as he passed out he heard Teyla's voice. "John, what happened?" She was near him now, but he couldn't see her clearly. Everything was going dark. "John?" It was the last thing he heard before the darkness sucked him under.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth groaned, feeling groggy and out of it. She tried to open her eyes, but they clamped shut when a bright light hit them. Her head was pounding. Why was it pounding?

She started to become more aware. There was a strange smell in the air. She knew that smell – it smelled like disinfectant, like a hospital. She frowned. Why would she be in a hospital? She couldn't remember anything from last night. Why?

Slowly she opened her eyes, straining against the harsh light. When they were open she slowly looked around the room. The walls were a plain white; a small television was mounted in the corner, but turned off. The window was big enough with cream coloured curtains hanging. Finally, she turned her head towards the door. Through the window that separated the hall from her room she could see people in white walking down the halls –Doctors.

She saw Teyla sitting in one of the chairs fast asleep. She didn't know whether to wake her or not, but she had to know why she was in the hospital. She knew it must have had something to do with the throbbing in her head. She reached one of her hands up to touch her forehead, but winced when the IV tugged at her. She used her other hand instead and felt a bandage wrapped around her head.

She groaned. Then she remembered John had been with her last night. She started to panic. Where was he? Why wasn't he with her? She turned back towards Teyla. "Teyla?" She called, but the detective didn't wake. "_Teyla?"_ She shouted.

The detective jumped awake with a start. "What? What's wrong?" She asked a panicked look on her face.

Elizabeth gave her a small smile, but then frowned. "W-what happened?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

Elizabeth shook her head. No, she couldn't remember. All she knew was that yesterday had been a good day. John had told her he loved her and she had told him that she loved him. She remembered they were in her apartment and then… nothing. It was just blank.

"The doctor did say you might not remember anything." Teyla sat back down in her chair.

"Teyla, what happened?" Elizabeth asked in a worried tone.

"You were attacked last night in your apartment."

"What?" She frowned.

"Michael attacked you." Elizabeth's eyes went wide with fear. "We got him in custody now, Elizabeth. You don't have to worry about him anymore." Teyla smiled. "John sure did give his ass a good kicking."

Elizabeth smiled, but then she remembered that she wanted John. She needed him. "John! Where's John?" She wanted him so bad. She wanted to be wrapped up in his warm embrace.

Teyla pulled the chair forward more and leaned on the bed. "Elizabeth, John was… he, ah, he…" she trailed off.

"What Teyla?" She asked in a whisper.

"Michael stabbed him."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide and she could feel them tearing up. "W-what? Is he… is he…" she trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to say it. He couldn't be dead.

"No! He's not. The doctors say he's going to be just fine. He's asleep now, but I'm sure it would be okay if you wanted to go see him." She gave her a smile. "Do you want to go see him?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes." A tear rolled down her cheek. Thank God, he was alive.

**~xoXox~**

Teyla rolled Elizabeth into John's hospital room. Elizabeth gasped when she seen him lying there asleep. He was hooked up to a heart monitor and an IV, and he looked a little pale. Teyla rolled her right up to his bedside. "I'll be back in a little while," she told her.

Elizabeth gave her a small smile. "Thank you." She was glad that Teyla was going because she just wanted to be alone with John right now.

As soon as Teyla left, Elizabeth got out of the wheelchair and stood up. She looked down at John. He looked so peaceful. Her eyes started to water up when she seen that his left arm was wrapped up in a sling. She couldn't help but think that it was all her fault. If she had have told John sooner… then maybe none of this would have happened. They wouldn't be in the hospital right now.

Pulling down the blankets, she climbed into the bed beside him. Fixing the blankets, she rested one arm across his mid-section, being careful not to touch his sore arm or mess with the IV and rested her head against his right shoulder. She placed a soft, tender kiss against his cheek. "I love you," she whispered.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth just lay there and stared up at the tiled ceiling. She hadn't moved in two hours and so, she had just kept counting the tiles over and over again. Currently she was on seven hundred and eighty. She had been staring at them so long that they were beginning to mesh together, making one giant tile.

She sighed. She just wanted John to wake up so that she could make sure that he truly was okay. Her head was still resting on his shoulder while her arm was draped over his midsection. She hadn't moved, not since she had gone into him. She was actually quite comfortable, but she really just wanted to be close to him. She let her fingers lightly dance along his stomach, trailing circles and patterns along his hospital gown.

"That tickles you know," came a whisper.

Elizabeth's hand stopped its journey across John's stomach. Looking up, she stared into John's glorious hazel eyes. A beaming smile appeared on her face. "John!" She said relieved. She leaned down and crushed her lips against his. Pulling back, she looked down at him, her fingers lightly brushing along his cheek. "You're awake." Her eyes were brimming with tears.

A wave of relief washed over her. She had been so worried for him. Granted the doctors had said he would be just fine, but she had to see it for herself. She still couldn't help but feel that it was her fault. God, she hated Michael, hated him with a freaking passion.

John brought his hand up and cupped the side of her face, using his thumb to wipe away a stray tear. He gave her a smile. "Why are you crying?" He asked softly.

"I-I was so worried about you. I'm so sorry, John. This is all my fault." She buried her head in his chest, wincing when she accidentally put pressure on the wound on her forehead.

John wrapped his arm around her, gently letting his hand rub up and down her arm. "How is it your fault?" He questioned in confusion.

She raised her head again, her eyes red and bloodshot. "If I had of told you about, Michael sooner, then none of this would have ever happened. You wouldn't have gotten hurt. It's my fault you're in the hospital," she exclaimed, guilt washing over her once again.

John gave her a look of reassurance. "No, it's not! It's Michael's fault. He's the one who did this, not you. I don't want you to blame yourself. Okay?"

"But-"

"Okay?" He asked again.

Elizabeth gave a solemn nod. "Okay," she whispered.

John had made her feel a slightly better, but she still felt a little guilty. It just wouldn't go away and she didn't think it ever would, not until John was better and Michael was put away. She knew that if Michael didn't give a confession then they would have to go to court and she would more than likely have to testify. She didn't want to do that. Of course she wanted Michael put away for his crimes, but there were some secrets that she couldn't tell, that she didn't want her co-workers to know, that she didn't want John to know. She felt ashamed of her secrets, but what was done was done and she could never change that. But she sure could try and forget.

She had learned a long time ago that the pain she felt from what was done to her would never go away, but it would lessen over time. She could start fresh, make a new life with John, but it was going to take time and a lot of healing.

The past was the past. She had to forget the past and look to the future – to now. John made her feel hopeful and happy and she was truly blessed that she had him.

Leaning down, she gently pressed her lips against his. "I love you," she murmured softly, staring into his hazel eyes.

"I love you, too, 'Liz'beth – so very, very much," he said passionately.

Resting her head against his chest she listened to his steady heartbeat. The thumping from his chest and the beeping from the heart monitor was working together in perfect sync.

**~xoXox~**

Ronon sat in the interrogation room back at the precinct, interviewing Michael, the son-of-a-bitch who had assaulted Elizabeth and had stabbed John – his partner! Crossing his arms he glared at Michael. "So why did you do it, Michael?" He had never liked Michael, but he had never told Elizabeth that.

Michael leaned forward and rested his elbows on the cool metal table. He gave Ronon a smug smile. "Because I could."

Ronon sighed. He was getting sick of this. He had been saying the same thing for over an hour. It was getting old really fast. "You know what, Michael? I think that they only reason you attacked, Elizabeth is because you're too afraid to do it to somebody your own size. You're nothing but a coward!" He sneered.

Michael growled and slammed his fists against the table. "That bitch had to pay. She had it coming!"

Ronon sat forward. Apparently Michael didn't like being goaded. Now he knew which buttons to press. "Yeah, I'm sure she really had it coming," he said sarcastically. "Maybe it's the fact you're a weak little man and you had to make yourself feel better by attacking a poor, innocent woman."

Michael was in a rage. He just started blurting things out, which made Ronon quite happy. "Nobody dumps me and gets away with it. If that stupid detective hadn't been there then I would have killed her. I would have plunged that knife deep into her chest and watched her bleed out." He sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't kill that detective friend of hers. I should have aimed better – Maybe for his heart." He laughed sadistically.

Ronon jumped up, fist clenched, ready to hit Michael. That was his partner and close friend he was talking about. Evan ran into the room and held Ronon back. "Come on, Ronon; don't do something you will regret," Evan spoke. "That piece of shit isn't worth it."

Ronon fixed his jacket and left the room. He scoffed at the idea of him ever regretting hitting Michael. He would never regret that, but Evan did have a point. The scumbag wasn't worth the time of day. Ronon turned and stared through the glass and watched as Evan finished interrogating Michael. Turning to Captain O'Neill, he spoke. "I'm gonna go see how, Sheppard is doing."

Jack nodded. "Take your time, Ronon."

Ronon nodded and left the room. He left the precinct and decided to walk to Mercy General Hospital. He had to clear his head. Michael had pissed him off more than he'd care to admit.

**~xoXox~**

When he reached the hospital, he hastily made his way in and over towards the elevators. He had to see how his partner was doing. Teyla had called him a few hours ago and had told him that John would be just fine, but still, he had to see him. He had to make sure that he was okay himself. John was his partner and had been for the last ten years.

Stepping onto the elevator, he hit level four and watched as the doors gently slid shut. He waited patiently for the elevator to stop on his floor. The elevator dinged, signalling that he had arrived at his destination. The doors gently slid open and he stepped off and began to walk down the hall toward John's room. Teyla had already given him the room number, so he didn't need to ask.

When he reached John's hospital room, he stopped outside the door and smiled. The M.E. was curled up beside him and he had his arm wrapped around her. He knew they were best-friends and he also knew that John was completely in love with her. He also knew that she was in love with him, too. Everybody had been able to see it except those two. They had been oblivious to the whole thing. He stepped into the room, smiling. "It's about damn time!" He exclaimed, truly happy for his friend. He had gotten himself a great woman.

Both John and Elizabeth turned to him and gave him a smile.

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**Author's Note: What did you think?**

**Review please. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

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**Chapter Six**

Elizabeth lay in her hospital bed unable to sleep. The doctor had wanted to keep her for another night for observation. Apparently the wound on her head was pretty bad and had required ten stitches. She sighed. She missed John. Granted she had spent all day with him, but it just wasn't enough. Nothing was ever enough when she was with John. She was drawn to him, he had stolen her heart. She wanted to spend every minute with him for the rest of her life. She had wanted to stay with him tonight, but the doctors wouldn't allow it. She grumbled to herself. It wasn't like they were going to do anything. She was tempted to go into him, though.

Rolling onto her back, she looked up at the ceiling. With so much free time on her hands now, she couldn't help but let her mind wonder to certain things she would rather forget. Her mind slowly drifted off to that fateful night when everything had changed – for the worst…

_Elizabeth was lying in her bed wide awake, worrying about Michael. He had yet to come home. She had gotten no phone call, no text, she had gotten nothing! He had never been this late before and if he ever had he would always call to let her know. She was worried something bad had happened to him. She shook her head. No! He was fine. She kept trying to reassure herself, telling herself that he had just forgotten to call._

_She rolled onto her side and stared at the clock that was sitting on the nightstand beside her bed. It read 4:00am. Why was she worrying anyway? She didn't _want_ him to come home. He would only find another excuse to beat her. She knew he got a kick out of it every time he hit her. The question she kept asking herself over and over again was, 'Why was she even still with him?' She knew why. She was afraid of him, afraid that he would kill her if she tried to leave._

_She closed her eyes. No! She didn't want him to come home. She didn't care if he never did. It would save her so much pain. She was worried he would come back! Things would be so much easier if he just left and never came back. She knew he had kept his apartment, kept it so he could bring his whores back there. Yes! She knew that he was cheating on her. Of course he was. That's probably where he was now – off with one of his many mistresses._

_Her eyes shot open when she heard keys fumbling at the lock to the door of her apartment. She could hear him laughing and talking to someone else – another male. It sounded like his friend Augustus. She didn't really like Augustus. There was just something about him that creeped her out. He wasn't a very nice man. Well, if he was friends with Michael then obviously he wasn't going to be a nice man. She heard the front door open and then slam._

"_ELIZABETH!" Michael called, slurring. "Elizabeth, come out here now!" She could tell he was drunk._

_She sighed. Here it came. She knew she better go out. If not it would only make the beating ten times worse. Kicking down her blankets, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and got up. She slowly made her way towards her room door. She wasn't ready to face him. Her heart raced as she slowly opened the room door. Stepping out into the hall, she walked towards the living room. She was only wearing a pair of pyjama shorts and a top, and it made her feel exposed… so exposed._

_When she reached the living room, she saw Michael and Augustus sitting on the couch. Michael looked at her and gave her a smug smile. Getting up off of the couch, he stumbled his way over to her. "Well, if it isn't my little, Lizzie." He wrapped his arms around her._

_The smell of alcohol off of him nearly made her get sick. He tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away. "You're drunk!" She spat out. _

_Michael laughed. "We're not drunk. Are we, Augustus?" He turned to his smiling friend._

"_No!" He laughed._

_Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I think you should get to sleep and, Augustus should leave," she angrily said as she turned to go back to her room. She was really pissed off with Michael now._

_He gripped her arm and roughly spun her around. He glared at her. "Don't you ever tell me what to do!" He hit her, knocking her to the floor._

_Elizabeth landed face first on the hardwood floor. Sitting up, she placed her hand against her burning cheek. Great! Now tomorrow she would have to make up another excuse and pile on the make-up. That was something she hated doing. She hated having to put so much make-up on. Standing up, she stared at Michael, waiting for what he was going to do next. Licking her lips, she could taste fresh blood. He had busted her lip also._

_Michael turned towards Augustus. "How long has it been since you last felt a woman's touch?"_

"_God, it must be a least six months," Augustus said with a smile._

"_Well, my friend, that is all about to change. Tonight I'm allowing you to have some fun with, Lizzie." Michael turned to Elizabeth, giving her a smile that made her want to be sick._

_Augustus got up off of the couch. As she watched him walk closer to her, her heart started pounding. It felt like it was about to explode. "Michael what-" He smacked her again, cutting her off._

_Augustus walked closer. "Thanks man," he said to Michael._

_Michael gave him a sadistic smile. "Make sure you give it to her good. She needs to learn her lesson." _

_Walking past Michael, Augustus gripped her arm and dragged her towards her bedroom. She struggled to get free, but he was much stronger than her and so, he managed to get her inside the room. He dragged her over to the bed and roughly threw her down on it. He climbed on top of her. She tried to push him off. She struggled. She pounded her fists against him, hoping that he would leave her alone, but… he didn't. Instead he gave her a punch in the stomach, bringing tears to her eyes. She gasped, trying to breath, but his weight was crushing her. _

_Leaning down, he roughly started to suck on her mouth, making the cut on her lip hurt even more. He tore at her clothes, ripping them off of her. She felt so helpless, so weak. She prayed to God that he would just stop and leave her alone, but her prayers went unanswered. He never did. Instead he shoved himself roughly inside of her. He brought one hand up and cupped her breast, roughly squeezing it while he moved above her. _

_She lay there, motionless, the tears falling freely down her face. She just wanted it to end. Why wasn't it ending? It felt like he had been on top of her for hours. The smell of alcohol off of him was sickening…_

All of a sudden a sick feeling brought her out of her thoughts. Hastily hopping out of her hospital bed, she stumbled towards the bathroom. When she reached the toilet she collapsed in front of it and heaved the contents of her stomach, which wasn't much, into the porcelain bowl.

When she was finished puking, she thoroughly rinsed her mouth out, making sure that the nasty taste was gone. Sluggishly she walked out of the bathroom and back towards her uncomfortable bed. She just wished that John was here with her. She sure could use his comforting touch right about now. As she crawled into her bed she sighed. Why couldn't things just go right for her for once?

Sure, she had John. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her, but her happiness had been short lived when Michael had decided to assault them, stabbing John in the process. She still blamed herself. She couldn't help it, even though, John had already reassured her that none of this was her fault. She just wished she could believe him. She knew he would never lie to her or ever hurt her, but the guilt just wouldn't let up. She felt like she was being sucked into a black hole that she couldn't escape from, and it was crushing her.

She brought her hand up and dried her eyes with the back of it when the tears started to fall. She needed John here – now – with her.

As if he heard her thoughts, John quietly walked into her room. She looked at him, her eyes now red. He hastily made his way towards her. "Honey, why are you crying?"

She gave a small smile. She loved how concerned he always was about her. She stared into his hazel eyes. "I-I just had a nightmare," she lied. Well, technically it had been a nightmare, but just not the kind he thought it was. This one wouldn't disappear when she woke up. No! It would haunt her for the rest of her life.

John nodded in understanding, thinking he knew, but he didn't. He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her close. She buried her head in his chest. "Everything is going to be fine, baby. I promise," he gently cooed.

Elizabeth looked up at him and gave him a smile. Scooting over, she rolled the down blankets, silently pleading with him to climb in beside her. John smiled and climbed in beside her. Lying down, he wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her close, giving her a soft kiss. Fixing the blankets on them, Elizabeth snuggled up against him, resting her head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

She closed her eyes. Maybe she could sleep now…

**~xoXox~**

John dressed as fast as he could, but it was awkward with one arm practically immobile. Every time he moved it a bit too fast or at a certain angle it would cause a shooting pain to shoot through his entire arm and shoulder. He was being discharged from the hospital today and so was Elizabeth. He couldn't wait to get out of here. He hated hospitals. He couldn't stand them. They reeked of death and illness, plus the food sucked.

The doctors had told him that he was doing just fine and that there was no reason why he couldn't be discharged. He was just thankful he didn't have to stay any longer.

His mind was so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't been paying attention to what he was doing. He yanked his arm through one of his shirt sleeves causing him to grumble at the shooting pain. He growled. If he ever got his hands on Michael he was going to kill him. Nobody was going to stop him from giving that asshole a pounding. He deserved it after what he had done to Elizabeth. John could deal with his wound, but he knew that Elizabeth was having a hard time dealing with things, especially because of the nightmares she'd been having. He just wished he could do something to make them go away. He hated to see her hurting. It killed him.

When he was fully dressed, he threw his arm back into the sling and left the hospital room he had been previously occupying. He had signed his discharge papers earlier on, so he could just leave. He walked towards Elizabeth's room. He didn't want to leave without her.

When he reached her room, he lightly knocked on the door and then walked in. John chuckled when Elizabeth jumped in fright, covering herself over with the towel that had been lying on the bed. She was only wearing a black pair of leggings and a purple lace bra. Smiling, she pulled the towel away from her body and threw it back on the bed. John took a sharp intake of breath as he let his eyes roam over her toned body. She was absolutely perfect, but the sight of the bruises still brought tears to his eyes. Now that she was only wearing a bra, he could see a lot more of the bruises that he hadn't been able to see before. He didn't know how she had coped because he was barely holding it together as it was.

God, he loved her so much.

He came out of his thoughts when Elizabeth giggled, walking closer to him. "So… are you happy that you're being discharged?" She gently wrapped her arms carefully around his neck.

"You have no idea." He smiled, wrapping his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He rested his hand on the small of her back, letting his thumb gently stroke along it.

Leaning in, he pressed his lips against hers. Elizabeth smiled against his mouth. "I love you," she mumbled against his mouth.

"I love you, too." He started trailing kisses down along her jaw and neck.

Elizabeth tilted her head, giving him more access. She moaned when he started sucking and nibbling on her neck. John smiled. He thought that it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He loved that he could excite her so. He trailed kisses across her firm breasts, letting his tongue flick out and rub along her flesh.

Elizabeth laughed. "Maybe I should finish getting dressed."

John shook his head in reluctance. He didn't want to let her go. He just wanted to ravish her here and now. "I think you should get undressed." He moved his mouth back up to hers and captured her lips again.

They kissed each other in a heated passion. John slipped his tongue in through her already parted lips. Their tongues collided, dancing together. He moaned a little. God, she tasted so good. John could feel his body react to Elizabeth's close proximity. He let his hand slip down to grab her rear as he nibbled and sucked on her lower lip. He loved kissing her, he loved touching her. He just loved being with her in general. He loved everything about her. What wasn't to love? She was smart, kind, caring and such a loving person.

They had to reluctantly break the kiss when lack of oxygen became an issue. John stared into Elizabeth's green eyes. He left a small gap between the both of them. He didn't want to hurt her by resting his head against hers. "So, how's the head?" He asked concerned.

Elizabeth gave him a small smile. "It's fine, just a little sore, but nothing I can't handle."

John smiled. She was always so brave. She never complained about anything. Maybe that's why he hadn't noticed the abuse. He winced. Every time he thought about Michael hurting Elizabeth it would make him feel guilty. He just couldn't help thinking that maybe if he had have seen the signs or paid more attention then maybe none of this would have ever happened. He still couldn't believe that he had been oblivious to the whole thing.

He sometimes wondered was it because whenever he had seen Elizabeth she had seemed happy and that was all he had wanted for her. He just wanted her to be happy. He was going to do everything in his power to make sure that she would never have to feel unsafe or hurt again. He was going to make her the happiest woman on the planet. He truly loved her. There was no denying it.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Elizabeth kiss him again. She gave him another quick kiss before pulling away from him. He groaned in protest. She laughed. "I have to finish getting dressed."

"Fine," he sighed out reluctantly, watching as she moved back over to the bed. "But, when my arm is healed enough, I think I'm going to enjoy taking off your clothes," he said as he moved up behind her, placing a tender kiss to her bare shoulder, his lips gently caressing the bruise that marred her flesh.

Elizabeth gave him a smirk as she threw on her top. "I think I would enjoy you taking off my clothes." She gave him a wink.

"You're such a tease." He chuckled.

Elizabeth turned to look at him. "You know you love me for it." She laughed.

John shrugged, hurting his shoulder a little. "Maybe."

"Maybe, huh?" Elizabeth stepped closer to him. "Well then, I guess you won't want any of this?" She spun around, wiggling her bottom in front of him.

John laughed, rolling his eyes. Of course he wanted some of that. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back towards him. He whispered in her ear. "Okay, so maybe I do love you."

"Thought so." She titled her head and placed a kiss on his chin.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth sat in the back of Teyla's car. She had agreed to give her and John a lift home. "Teyla, would you mind just making a quick stop at, John's place?" She asked her friend.

"No, of course not." Teyla threw a glance back.

"Teyla could have dropped you straight home. I told you I don't mind walking," John told her.

"Nonsense! Anyway, you're staying at my place."

"What?" He asked confused. "I do have my own place."

She shrugged. "I know, but this way I can take care of you."

She really wanted John to stay with her. Taking care of him was just one of the excuses she was using. She was ashamed to admit it, but she was actually kind of afraid to stay on her own. After what had happened with Michael she was terrified it would happen again. Knowing that he was in jail didn't make the fear of staying on her own go away. She had never been like this, not until she had met Michael. He had managed to drain her self-confidence down to nothing. She used to be such a confident person, but not anymore. Now she felt weak and afraid. She was afraid to tell John that in case he thought less of her.

Though, she knew that he would never think any less of her, but she still couldn't get rid of the doubt that resided in the back of her mind. It was a constant reminder that she was a broken woman. She was utterly surprised John still wanted to be with her after what had happened. She had been afraid that he would have just left. Again, she knew he wasn't that kind of man, but those feelings were hard to get rid of. She was terrified that they would overcome her and that she would end up going insane.

"…take care of me." She didn't catch all of what John had just said.

"Huh?"

"I said that you don't have to take care of me."

Elizabeth gave him a reassuring smile. "I want to, really. Besides, is it so bad that I want my boyfriend to stay with me for a while?"

John gave her a questioning gaze. She knew he knew there was something else wrong, but she was just thankful that he dropped it. "Okay, I'll stay with you. We'll stop by my place and I'll just pick up a few things." He pressed a kiss to her temple.

She gave him a smile. "Thank you."

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

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**Chapter Seven**

_One week later._

Elizabeth sat on the edge of her bed with John sitting beside her. He had his shirt taken off and he was only in a pair of boxers. Elizabeth couldn't help but let her eyes roam over his muscled body. She really enjoyed the sight she was looking at. He was just so… _gorgeous_. She felt her body start to tingle with want and need. She needed to feel John in more ways than one. She finally wanted to become one with him, to feel him kiss and caress her bare flesh, to have his hands touch her in ways no other man had ever touched her before.

They had yet to consummate their love for one another. They both wanted to. God, did they want to, but the attack had left them both exhausted. Both of them had their own wounds that needed healing, but John especially. His arm needed to heal up. It still hurt every time he moved it, but less so now than it did last week.

Elizabeth sighed a little, bringing her mind back to the task at hand. She was currently changing John's dressing. She brought her hands to his shoulder and gently began to peel away the now dirty dressing. When it was away from the wound she inspected it. She smiled. It was a nice pinkie colour, a sure sign that there was no infection and that it was starting to heal up nicely. He still had stitches in it, but she reckoned they would probably be out in about another week. After she cleaned it, she rubbed some ointment on it and then redressed it. "There you go, sweetheart." She gave him a smile.

John returned the smile. "Thanks babe." He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers.

Elizabeth pulled back. "Let me clean up here and then I'll be back." She grabbed all of the stuff off of the bed and walked into the bathroom to throw some in the bin and put the rest away. When she was done that, she washed her hands and then wandered back out to John, picking up his shirt. She had to help him slip it on his arm. She didn't mind. She loved taking care of him. After all, they were spending time together and that's all she wanted, was for them to be together. Sitting back down on the bed, John leaned in and started kissing her again.

She smiled against his mouth. She loved it every time he kissed her. It felt like a whole new experience every time he let his lips brush against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She wished they could take it further, but she would have to wait a few more days. She could wait that long. She could! She moaned as the kiss deepened. She felt her self-control weakening.

All of a sudden, she felt herself being lowered back onto the bed. She knew this was a bad idea. In fact, her mind was screaming at her, telling her that this was a bad idea, but her reason was being thrown out the window. She was too rapt up in what she was doing to even give a damn about reason. They kissed each other furiously. John's hand began to trail up her side and under her shirt. She heard him wince a bit as he put pressure on his wounded arm.

She groaned as reason came bursting through the door and kicked her ass for letting it even get this far. She reluctantly pushed him away. "No! John – stop!" She hated saying no to him, especially when it's what she wanted as well.

John, still on top of her, stared down into her green eyes. "What?" He looked confused.

She sighed. "Remember what happened the last time we got carried away?"

"That was ages ago," he stated as he leaned down to kiss her again.

She pushed him back and smirked. "It was five days ago and as I recall, it involved a rather embarrassing trip to the hospital." She smiled up at him as she remembered the last time they had gotten carried away;

_Elizabeth walked out of the bathroom after brushing her teeth; John had been in there before her. Her eyes widened as she drank in the sight before her. John was standing beside the bed in nothing only a pair of boxers. His body rippled with muscles. All those hours at the gym had really paid off. She was impressed by what she saw, not that she hadn't seen them before, but now she was looking at them in a whole new light. He looked amazing, but she knew that even if he didn't have any muscles she would still love him because she loved John for who he was and not how he looked, even though he was quite a handsome man._

_She hadn't really seen him like that yet. After they had come home from the hospital, the both of them had fallen asleep on the couch that night snuggled up against one another._

_She watched as he rolled down the blankets and noticed that he didn't have his sling on. She walked over to the bed. "Are you not wearing your sling?" She asked. She knew that he didn't have to wear it when he slept, but she thought that it might help him from moving his arm too much in his sleep._

"_Nah! The stupid thing annoys me when I'm trying to sleep." He gave her a smile as he climbed in the bed._

_Elizabeth smiled and pulled down the blankets. Climbing into the bed, she switched off her lamp and scooted closer to John. She lay down and waited for him to get settled. She was about to rest her head on his shoulder when she realised what she was doing. She looked at John and gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry," she mumbled._

"_It's okay, babe." He pressed a kiss to her temple._

_Elizabeth smiled. She loved it when he called her 'babe.' It just felt so right hearing it from his mouth. They were made for each other. She knew that. "Switch sides?" She gave him a smile._

_John chuckled. "Alright."_

_Sitting up, Elizabeth began to climb over him. Before she could get her other leg over, John gripped her hips, stilling her. Elizabeth turned to look at him, so she was now straddling him. "What?" She smirked, arching a graceful eyebrow._

_John brought his hands down to rest on her legs, lightly caressing them. "I like this view." He smiled._

"_Oh!" Elizabeth smiled. Leaning down, she pressed her lips against his, resting her hands against the pillows on either side of his head, making sure she didn't put all of her weight against his wound._

_John wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Elizabeth smiled against his mouth. She was enjoying this very much. She slipped her tongue in through John's already parted lips. Their tongues collided, thrusting against one another._

_All of a sudden Elizabeth felt herself being flipped onto her back. John was now on top of her and assaulting her neck with kisses. Elizabeth moaned as he began to suck on her neck. "Oh God, John."_

_She gently ran her hand along his shoulder. When she pulled it away, her eyes went wide with fright. "Oh my God, John!" She practically shrieked._

_John looked down at her, worry evident in his hazel eyes. He obviously didn't know what was wrong. "What?"_

"_Y-you're bleeding!"_

"_Huh?" His brow furrowed in confusion. _

_She pushed him off of her and moved to turn on the other lamp so there would be more light. She looked at him in horror. The blood was soaking through the dressing and starting to trickle down along his chest a bit. "I think you burst your stitches." She moved closer to him._

_John looked down at his shoulder. "Oh," was all he said._

"_We have to get you to the hospital." She hopped out of the bed and started rushing around, trying to get things together._

_How was she going to explain this to the doctor? 'Oh, his stitches burst while we were trying to have sex.' Yeah, that was a conversation she wanted to have with his doctor. She groaned. This was going to be so embarrassing!_

_**~xoXox~**_

"_So, Mister Sheppard, how did you manage to burst your stitches?" Doctor Reece asked, as he finished putting the fresh dressing over John's new stitches._

_John didn't say anything and so the doctor looked at him. Elizabeth started to speak, slightly blushing. "Well, He ah… I mean we-" _

_John cut her off. "I rolled over in my sleep." He stated, looking directly at Doctor Reece._

_Doctor Reece picked up his chart and began to fill it in, but not before he gave John and Elizabeth a suspicious look. He smirked as he finished and began to walk out the door. "I'll see you back here in two weeks." He paused at the door. "Oh and detective, try to not ah… roll over." He smirked as he walked out of the room._

_Elizabeth blushed furiously at the hidden meaning behind the doctor's statement. He knew what they had been up to. She groaned. "That was beyond embarrassing."_

_John chuckled as he got up off of the bed. Elizabeth helped him with his shirt. "Come on, babe, let's go home."_

_Elizabeth smiled. Home! She loved that John had called it home. Well, what else would he have called it? Though, he could have said 'let's go back to your place,' but he hadn't. He had said, 'home.' Elizabeth loved having him around and she would love it if he was living with her permanently, but she knew she had to give it time. She didn't want to ruin a good thing by rushing it, so she was going to wait a while before asking him to move in with her…_

"Elizabeth?" John brought her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? What?"

"A penny for your thoughts?"

She smirked. "Just thinking about when you burst your stitches and how it's a bad idea to get carried away again."

John gave a reluctant sigh. "Fine." He moved off of her and sat back on the bed. "How's your head today?" He looked at her as she sat up.

She gave him a small smile. "It's fine. It just throbs a little, but it's not so bad." She still had the stitches in her head and wouldn't get them out for another few days. She had taken the big piece of gauze that was covering it over, off and had replaced it with a band aid. She thought it looked better. The gauze just made her look silly.

Once they were dressed and ready, Elizabeth and John decided to go out for lunch. Neither of them had work for another week and they were fed up being stuck in the apartment so they decided to go to Benny's Diner.

**~xoXox~**

The police officer followed behind Michael closely as he walked down the prison hall. He was due his phone call and of course Michael was taking it. He still had some unfinished business to attend to. When he reached the phone, he threw the prison guard a look, telling him that he wanted to be left alone.

The prison guard grumbled and walked back down the hall to wait by the closed prison doors with the other officers. Michael knew that none of them liked him and that they all thought he was an arrogant prick and plus they knew what he was in there for – his assault of a police officer and his girlfriend. Cops didn't like it when someone attacked one of their own.

When Michael was sure the prison guard couldn't hear him, he dialled in the familiar number and put the phone up to his ear. The person on the other end picked up on the third ring.

"_Hello?" _Came a reply from the other end.

Michael smiled. "Hey, baby. How're you doing?"

"_Fine, Michael! What about you? What do you want?"_

"Well, I need you to do me a favour." He gave a sly smile, even though the person on the other end couldn't see it.

The person sighed. _"What is it?" _They sounded less than enthusiastic.

Michael smiled. Great! Now, he could take care of his unfinished business.

**~xoXox~**

_Two days later._

The smell of must wafted throughout the unused room as the door swung open, revealing a shabby, run-down apartment. Old, raggedy curtains covered the windows, darkening down the room. The doors squeaked and the floorboards creaked. Sunlight streamed through the several holes that were in the torn curtains. Dust covered every surface, only the footprints were now visible as the stranger wondered around the room, inspecting it. He ran a gloved finger along the surface of the kitchen counter. He brought his hand up to his face, looking at the gathered dust. He rubbed his thumb and pointer finger together, smiling a wicked smile.

It was perfect. Nobody would suspect a thing. Not in this old dump. Nobody lived in the old apartment building anymore, so it was the perfect place to put the plan into motion.

**~xoXox~**

"Is everything set?" Michael asked, standing at the phone with one arm resting against it.

_"__Yes, they will never suspect a thing." _The person on the other end gave a cruel laugh.

Michael smiled. "Then, you know what to do!" He stated.

_"__It's already begun." _He laughed into the receiver once again.

"Perfect." Michael was pleasantly pleased to hear this.

"Oi! Kenmore, your time's up!" The prison guard shouted, calling Michael by his last name.

"I gotta go, but I'll call you soon." He hung up the phone and walked towards the prison guard.

**~xoXox~**

_One week later._

Elizabeth sighed as John gently laid her back against the plush pillows. She smiled, easing into his touch as his hands roamed over her naked body. He leaned down and captured her lips in a searing, hot kiss. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer, her breasts crushed against his chest. They kissed each other in a heated passion, making up for lost time.

Sure, they had made out, but they hadn't been able to really touch each other. She had been barely able to wrap her arms around his neck out fear of hurting him, but now that he had his stitches out, they could touch and kiss each other all they wanted.

John let his tongue flick out, tracing her upper lip, begging for access, which she gladly gave. Their tongues collided, thrusting against one another. A tongue war began, both fighting for dominance. John won in the end. Their tongues gently massaged the other. Elizabeth moaned as the kiss deepened more than she could have ever hoped. John brought one of his hands up to massage her firm breast, his thumb gently brushing across her nipple causing her body to shiver in pleasure.

John moved his lips from her mouth and began to trail wet kisses down along her neck, sucking on her flesh. He sucked on the spot between her shoulder and neck, leaving a purple mark. He continued to kiss down along her chest until he reached her breasts. He took one of her nipples in his mouth and began to suck on it, letting his tongue flick out and swirl around it causing her to moan.

"Oh God… John," she panted. "I need you – now!" She desperately wanted to feel him inside of her, to feel their bodies move together, becoming one.

Pulling back, John looked down at Elizabeth, his eyes roaming over her body. "You're so beautiful, 'Liz'beth." He leaned down and captured her lips in another passionate kiss.

Elizabeth could feel his hardness rubbing along her inner thigh as he settled between her legs. She moaned when she felt his hardness brush along her more sensitive area. She thought that he was going to give her what she wanted, but unfortunately for her she was mistaken. He moved away causing her to whimper. His hands ran down her sides and along her legs, gently rubbing and caressing them.

She arched her back, pressing into him. He was stirring all sorts of wonderful feelings up inside of her, but she was getting frustrated at him. He still wasn't giving her what she wanted. He kept brushing against her, only to pull away again. He was teasing her. "John… please?" She whimpered.

John chuckled at her impatience, making her scowl. "Okay baby." He leaned down and kissed her.

Elizabeth gasped as she felt him enter her. Dear God, it felt so good. She moaned as he began to move above her. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pulled him close, groaning when he picked up his pace a little bit. "Mmm, yeah… Oh God… John," she panted, her breathing heaving. Elizabeth ran her hands down along his back, her nails lightly grazing his skin. She started to trail kisses down along his neck, sucking on his flesh. She left a purple mark like he had done to her.

Elizabeth could feel her body ripple with so much pleasure that it was almost too hard to take. John was amazing. No other man had ever made her feel so much pleasure before. He was far gentler and a lot tenderer than Michael had ever been. It just made her love John even more. She could feel her body fill with pleasure and she knew she was close, but she held on just a little longer. She wanted this to last.

Shifting, she rolled them over so that she was now on top. She rested her hands against his muscled chest and began to move above him. Her head lolled back and she moaned as she picked up her pace. John rested his hands on her hips, gently rubbing them. "God, 'Liz'beth… you're so beautiful," he panted.

Elizabeth leaned down and started kissing him again. She loved the feeling of him inside her. She couldn't help but smile at the way their bodies perfectly moulded together, whether it was making love or just snuggling up against one another. It was perfect.

Elizabeth let out a yelp of surprise as John flipped her back over onto her back. He continued to move above her. Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her. He continued to move above her, exciting her. She was in heaven. It was pure bliss. She felt a tight sensation gather in the pit of her stomach and she knew she was close. After a few more thrusts from John, Elizabeth reached her climax, screaming out his name. She knew John was close also when she felt his body become tense. After a couple more hard thrusts John reached his release, groaning loudly, filling her with his seed. They continued to kiss each other as they came down from their high.

John collapsed on top of Elizabeth, the both of them breathing heavy. Their bodies were now slick with sweat. Elizabeth ran her hands down John's back as he rested his head against her chest. John began to place gentle butterfly kisses across her chest as he gently pulled out of her. He rolled off of her. Fixing the blankets on them, he pulled her to him.

Elizabeth rested her head on his shoulder and threw one of her legs over his. She smiled up at him. "I love you, John."

He smiled down at her. "I love you, too, 'Lizabeth." He gave her a soft, passionate kiss.

Smiling, Elizabeth snuggled up against him. She loved the feel of his warm body against hers. It just felt so right. This night had been beyond amazing. It had definitely been worth the wait.

At this moment in time, she didn't think she could be any happier. She was finally with the love of her life. Life now seemed perfect.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: So, thank you for the reviews.**

**I would like to address one review that I got from Sara. While I appreciate you taking the time to read this story and to review, I am aware that the John/Elizabeth pairing is not to everybody's taste, but they're my ship. While the producers may have kept pushing the point of the John/Teyla relationship and may have been heading in that direction, I don't and won't ship them. I always thought Teyla and Ronon would have made a great pair, but maybe that's just me! **

**Also, I do realise that this story, but rather Elizabeth is OOC, and it may not be the best story I've ever written (I've plenty more I'm quite proud of), but I was just trying something different. And as for the fact that not many people have reviewed because the story may not sit comfortably with some people, I'm okay with that. But like I said, I was trying something different with the pairing, but maybe I haven't made it realistic enough, and I admit that's my fault. If I ever decide to take on a story like this again in the future, I can look back at some of the mistakes I have made with this one (because I know it's not perfect) and hopefully not make them again! **

**Also, Elizabeth may seem immature, but she's also a victim of abuse and rape and I was trying to portray her more vulnerable side, but maybe I have not succeeded in doing so. **

**But I appreciate your honest feedback, and I thank you for being kind enough to not turn it into a horrid flame! **

**I accept constructive criticism, but not in the form of flames. **

**I'm under no illusions that my writing is absolutely perfect or that my stories no matter how good or bad they may seem will be enjoyed by everyone. Everyone has their own ships and what not, and Sparky just happens to be mine!**

**Also, what is a mills & Boone? **

**Anyway, for those of you interested in this story and may somewhat be enjoying it here's the next chapter. Is it too much?**

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**Chapter Eight**

_Two months later. October 24__th__._

He stared at the walls in the abandoned apartment. They were covered in pictures of none other than Elizabeth Weir. Half of them included the man she had been with the first time he had seen her. He now knew his name. It was Detective John Sheppard.

His boss had been extremely pissed off when he had found out she was seeing the detective. It was going to make her punishment all that more worse. He let out a wicked laugh. His plan was working perfectly.

It had taken him two months to finish with phase one, but he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was giving Elizabeth Weir her punishment. He continued to laugh.

Phase two could now be put into motion.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth walked towards the alley where the body of a victim lay. As she came to the entrance she could see that Teyla and John were already here. Evan was off to the side, interviewing a witness. As she began walking towards them, she got a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had had it all morning, but she had just kept shrugging it off, but now it just seemed to get worse. Sucking in a breath, she smiled when she reached them.

"Hey," she gave them a small smile, trying to not think about the sick feeling in her stomach.

"Hey," Teyla replied back.

"What took you so long?" John asked, giving her a quick peck. "You're usually here before us." He smiled.

She smiled back. "Traffic."

She sighed as she walked to the body of the female victim. She couldn't have been any more than twenty-one. Squatting, she placed down her medical kit and then began to pull on a pair of latex gloves. While she was pulling them on, she let her eyes roam over the body. Doing that was a mistake!

Standing up, she darted over to a nearby trash can. Leaning over it, she heaved up the contents of her stomach, which wasn't much. Then, she felt a warm hand gently rubbing along her back. "Are you okay, 'Lizabeth?" John asked worried.

When she finished throwing up, she slightly turned her head to look at John, giving him a small smile. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He frowned, looking worried.

She groaned. "No." She began to throw up again. God, what was wrong with her? More importantly, why did she have to get sick at a crime scene with _everyone_ around? She had never felt more embarrassed. She could feel all eyes on her, watching as the M.E. puked her guts up into a trash can in an alley.

After finishing throwing up for the second time, she straightened up, pulling off her latex gloves and throwing them in the trash. Dragging the back of her hand across her mouth, she shakily wiped away any trace that might be left. John placed his hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes. "You look a little pale. Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should go home," he said worried.

Elizabeth gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine now, except for the horrible taste in my mouth." She scrunched up her nose, frowning.

John chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and giving them a gentle squeeze. Elizabeth gave him a smile. Usually when they were working the same crime scene together, they usually kept the PDA to a minimum, but today she was glad that he was here, comforting her. He began leading her back towards the body. She was feeling a lot better now, so she thought she would be able to handle looking at the body, but as soon as she let her gaze settle on it the queasy feeling returned. Groaning, she buried her head in John's side. "Maybe I should go home," she sighed out reluctantly.

"Are you sure?"

She sighed. "I can't work feeling like this. Barry can take over for me." Barry was her assistant and she knew that he was just as capable at working at a crime scene. He would be fine. Thankfully, he had come out with her today, so she didn't need to wait for him to get here.

"Okay, I'll take you home."

Elizabeth pulled away from him all of a sudden. "No, you have work to do. I'll be fine. I can get a cab home or something."

John gave her a look of disbelief. "Right! I'm going to let my sick girlfriend take a cab home. Are you insane?"

Elizabeth scowled. "I can look after myself, John!" She snapped, storming off towards the entrance of the ally in search of Barry.

God, she wasn't helpless. She could look after herself. She was perfectly capable of doing so. She'd been looking after herself ever since she had been eighteen years old, she was pretty sure she could still do it. In fact, the last time she had checked she wasn't a child; she was a fully grown woman.

Grumbling, she walked around to the back of the coroners van looking for Barry. She found him pulling out the gurney. "Hey Barry, could you take over for me today? I'm not feeling too good." She gave him a small smile.

"Sure, Doctor Weir."

Elizabeth handed him the keys to the van and then headed off down the street. She needed to clear her head. The fresh air – well as fresh as the air could get in Manhattan – might do her some good. Maybe it would help settle her churning stomach.

Elizabeth sighed as she continued to walk through the streets of Manhattan. She felt bad for snapping at John. She hadn't even been angry at him. One minute she had been fine, then the next she had been snapping at him. What the hell was wrong with her? If she was being honest with herself, she was acting very… hormonal.

She had been feeling like this non-stop for the last two weeks. It would come and go. She would get a queasy feeling, then she would throw up, her boobs ached and she was always hungry as hell and just a little bit emotional, tired, too.

She couldn't think of anything that could possibly be…

All of a sudden, she stopped, standing on the middle of the side walk, "oh?" Her eyes went wide as a light bulb clicked on. She couldn't be? Could she? She did some mental math, trying to remember when she had had her last period. Running through the numbers, she realised that she hadn't had her period in almost two months. She hadn't gotten it last month and the fact that she was suppose to get it two days ago and hadn't, made her theory all that more plausible.

Running into the nearest drug store, she hastily made her way towards the aisle that held the pregnancy tests. Her heart raced as she slowly made her way down the aisle. A smile was playing at her lips. She was pregnant. Well, might be pregnant. Oh God, she hoped she was. More than anything she wanted to have John's baby. She wanted to settle down with him, start a family. She loved him so much and having a kid with him would just make everything perfect.

She could hear her heart pounding in her chest as she let her eyes roam over the shelves upon shelves of pregnancy tests. She didn't know which one to pick. There were so many to choose from. She wanted to get one that was fairly accurate. Reaching out, she pulled a ClearBlue pregnancy test off of the shelf and began to read the back, pursing her lips in concentration.

"Elizabeth!" She heard a familiar voice calling her name.

Looking up, her eyes went wide when she seen John coming towards her. "John, how did you know I was in here?" She gave him a nervous smile, feeling like she had just been caught robbing candy.

"I saw you come in here." His breathing was a little heavy. He stopped in front of her. "Elizabeth, wh-" He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze dropping to the box she was clutching in her hand and then towards the shelves they were currently standing in front of, his eyes going wide. "Elizabeth, are you… pregnant?"

"M-maybe." She looked up at him, biting her lower lip. She searched his eyes for his reaction. She didn't know whether he would be happy about this or not. They hadn't really discussed children yet. She knew that she wanted children, but the question was, did he?

He sucked in a deep breath, a serious look on his face. "Well then, I think we should get a few extra to make sure." Elizabeth watched as John grabbed two more boxes off of the shelf, smiling.

She giggled when he handed her the boxes. "John, these are sixteen dollars a test," she pointed out, holding up one of the tests.

John looked at her. "Right!" He frowned a little. "Do you think you'll need more?" He asked eyeing the shelves again.

Elizabeth giggled. "I think I have enough, John. I really only need one." She gave him a smile.

"You can never be too positive." He gave her a smile.

Grinning, Elizabeth rested her head against his chest, looking up at him. "So, I take it you're happy?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Of course I am, baby. More than anything." He gave her a reassuring smile.

**~xoXox~**

"John, if I drink anymore, I'm going to explode," Elizabeth said, placing the half empty, glass of water down on the table.

"Do you have to pee yet?"

She sighed. "No, not yet, John. It'll take a while."

John nudged the glass towards her. "Maybe things will hurry along if you just finish this last little bit." He smiled.

"Fine," she sighed. Picking up the glass, she gulped back the remaining clear liquid. "You know, I think you're more anxious than I am."

"Really?" He asked surprised.

"Nope," she gave him a beaming smile.

John chuckled. "Come here," he said, holding open his arms.

Smiling, Elizabeth got up from her seat and moved over towards John, sitting in his lap. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his. Snaking her arms around his neck, she began to kiss him with more passion. Their tongues collided, twisting together as they kissed each other in a heated passion. Elizabeth moaned as John deepened the kiss. Elizabeth smiled against his mouth when she felt John slip his hand under her shirt, resting it on her flat stomach. God, she hoped she was pregnant. She would love nothing more. John was already so excited about the whole thing and she knew that it would kill the both of them if the test came back negative.

When the need for air became too great, they reluctantly broke this kiss. Elizabeth rested her forehead against John's, smiling, breathing heavy. John gently let his hand rub along her stomach. It was so soothing.

She was a little worried that the test would come back negative. She didn't want that to happen. "John?"

"What, babe?"

"W-what if it comes back negative?" She asked, pulling her lower lip through her teeth.

"Well then, we'll just have to keep trying until you get pregnant, now, won't we?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Really?"

John nodded. "Besides, I have a good feeling about this." He ran his hand through her thick curls.

"Me too." She leaned in and kissed him again.

**~xoXox~**

Time seemed to stand still as he waited for Elizabeth to take the pregnancy test. He was nervous as hell and he could only imagine how Elizabeth must be feeling. He hoped more than anything that she was pregnant. He wanted to watch her belly grow with their child as the months past. He wanted to experience the joys of fatherhood.

He knew it was quick, but at the same time it wasn't. They were in love, so why the hell not start a family?

He sat on the couch, fidgeting as he waited impatiently. God, what was taking so long? Surely three minutes was up? Looking at his watch, he groaned. No, only a minute had passed.

When he had seen Elizabeth run into the drug store he had immediately thought that she might have been getting something to help settle her sick stomach, but boy had he gotten a surprise when he had seen her standing there holding a pregnancy test. He had been so shocked that his heart had almost jumped out of his chest. The surge of happiness that had shot through him had been almost overwhelming, and he might have gone a little overboard by making Elizabeth drink all of that water and buying so many pregnancy tests, but he just had to know. He didn't know how Elizabeth was holding it together, he was a nervous wreck.

If he was being honest, he was a little scared. He didn't really know anything about children and he was afraid that he'd mess it up. But despite all that, he and Elizabeth were in this together. He knew that he was going to try and be the best possible father he could be.

He was brought of his thoughts when he heard the bathroom door open. Hopping up off of the couch, he practically ran over to Elizabeth. "Well, what does it say?"

Elizabeth looked at him with tears in her eyes. "It… ah…"

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Oooh a cliffy, what will the test say? Guess you're just going to have to wait and find out now, aren't you? Mwahahaha. *Gives evil grin.***

**Anyway, I would like to hear your thoughts. Review please. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: You guys rock! You're all so awesome and supportive and I feel humbled that you are allowing me to continue to experiment with these amazing characters in this story. While my exploration of them may not completely work out in the end, I really do appreciate all your support while I drag these characters through the wringer. **

**So, here's another chapter for you lovely people. There's still a lot to come! :)**

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**Chapter Nine**

"Well, what does it say?" John asked again, anxious. He was practically jumping up and down waiting for the answer.

Elizabeth could feel her eyes tearing up. "P-positive," she whispered in disbelief. She was actually a little shocked. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. She was afraid that if she did the result would change.

"What?" He asked surprised.

Elizabeth looked up at him and gave him a beaming smile. "I'm… I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby." She let out a laugh, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

John gave her a beaming smile. "We're going to have a baby!" He scooped her up in a warm embrace and spun her around. "I'm going to be a dad." Happiness was evident in his voice.

Elizabeth giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She had never felt so happy. At this moment in time all of her worries seemed to disappear. She had been doing so much better over the last two months. Her nightmares had seemed to lessen over time. She knew why. It was because of John. He made her so happy. He had spent almost every night with her at her place and then she would spend those other nights at his place, which is why she had gotten pregnant so quick into their relationship. They could hardly keep their hands off of one another. Not that that was a bad thing. In fact, it was quite a good thing.

Come to think about it, why hadn't they moved in together? Elizabeth loved John's apartment. It was nice and cosy, but it was only a one bedroom place whereas hers was a two bedroom apartment. The spare room would be perfect for a nursery.

When John stopped spinning her around, Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist and relaxed, so she could stare into his hazel eyes. "Yeah baby, you're going to be a dad." She gave him a beaming smile. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his, kissing him passionately.

When they pulled apart, John gave Elizabeth a smile. "You're going to be someone's momma."

Elizabeth smiled. She was! She was going to be someone's momma. Unhooking one of her arms from around his neck, she brought her hand down to rest on her flat stomach. "I'm going to be someone's momma," she whispered in disbelief as she felt her eyes tear up again. Elizabeth leaned in and kissed him again. It was filled with so much passion.

**~xoXox~**

Later that night, Elizabeth was lying on the couch with her head in John's lap. John had one hand under her top resting on her flat stomach; her hand was resting on top of his. She smiled at that. It was such a simple act, yet she knew it was filled with so much love. Her pyjama bottoms were tucked into her fluffy socks and she had a blanket thrown over her legs. They were watching some romantic comedy. Well, more like she was watching it. She knew John was only pretending to be interested in it. She actually found it quite amusing. He would probably watch paint dry if she asked him to.

The fact that he loved her so much seemed insane. She didn't know what she had done to deserve him, but she knew that she was the luckiest woman alive. God, she just loved him so much.

She still had something to ask him, though. Now that she was pregnant, she figured they should live together. She had been thinking about it for a while, but she had never asked because she had thought it might have been too soon. She hadn't wanted to rush things.

When the adverts came on she decided to ask him then. She was actually excited about the prospect of John living with her. "John?" She tilted her head some more, so she was looking up at him.

He looked down at her and gave her a smile. "What sweetheart?"

"Well, I was just thinking, we should live together. You could move in here… i-if you want to?"

"Are you sure?" He asked smiling.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "No, I thought I'd ask you for the fun of it. Of course I'm sure." She smiled, placing her other hand on her belly. "Now that we're going to have a little one running around, I think we should live together. We can be a proper family." She smiled, her thoughts drifting off towards the future.

John leaned down and kissed her. "Sounds perfect."

"It does, doesn't it?" She said, smiling, her fingers trailing along her belly. "We could start moving your stuff over tomorrow after my doctor's appointment." Just after they had found out she was pregnant and after their little celebration – which had been quite pleasurable she might add – they had called her doctor and had scheduled an appointment for tomorrow to make sure that she really was pregnant, and to find out how far along she was. She had no doubt that she was, though. She had taken the three tests and they had all said positive.

John nodded. "I'll ask, Ronon or Rodney to help me. I don't want you lifting anything heavy."

Elizabeth nodded. She understood that. She would do anything to keep their baby safe. Her smile got even bigger. _Their baby._ It just sounded so right. She wasn't going to take any unnecessary risks. "Christmas is in a few weeks. When we get everything sorted, we should get a tree – Maybe decorate up the place a bit." She smiled, sitting up, excitement filling her voice. "It'll be our first Christmas together as a couple."

John wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. "Whatever you want, babe, you shall have," he said smiling.

Elizabeth smiled. "Oh, I think I have everything I need. You, the baby, everything's perfect." She leaned in and began to kiss him.

**~xoXox~**

"John?" Elizabeth called. She was standing in his room, staring at his bed. Her hand rested on her flat stomach, her thumb lightly stroking along it.

John walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "Yeah?"

She tilted her head so she was looking at him. "What are we going to do with your bed?" She asked smiling.

John smirked. "I can think of plenty of things we can do with my bed." He started assaulting her neck with kisses.

Elizabeth giggled, turning in his arms to look at him. "Not what I meant, but I can't complain." She leaned up and captured his lips.

Elizabeth let her tongue slip in through John's already parted lips. Their tongues collided, twisting together. Elizabeth moaned into his mouth as the kiss deepened more than she could have ever hoped. She let her hands trail up his arms and loop around his neck, pulling him closer. She was enjoying their moment together until they were interrupted.

"When you two are done playing tonsil hockey, John I need your help," Rodney called in through the room door.

John and Elizabeth pulled apart. John chuckled when Elizabeth buried her head in his chest, blushing furiously. Rodney really knew how to embarrass someone. "I'll be there in a minute, man." John threw Rodney a glance over his shoulder.

Elizabeth peered around John's arm and watched as Rodney walked away. "God, he really knows how to embarrass somebody, doesn't he?" She looked up at John.

"That's Rodney for you." He chuckled. "I better go see what he wants." He gave her a quick kiss. Leaning down, he placed a kiss to her belly. Elizabeth giggled when he did that. Standing back up, he gave her another kiss before leaving the room.

Turning back towards his bed, she let out a sigh of contentment as she wondered over to it and began stripping off the blankets. While she was doing that she thought about her doctor's appointment that she had had earlier on this morning.

They had found out that she definitely was pregnant which had made them practically jump over the moon with joy. They had also found out how far along she was. She was one and a half months along. She couldn't believe she was that far along. She thought she might have been only maybe three weeks, but apparently not. Getting pregnant early into the relationship had been an understatement. She had gotten pregnant about seven weeks into their relationship. It more than likely happened that time she'd had a touch of the flu and had been on an antibiotic. It'd caused the pill to stop working. She should have realised, but she'd never paid it any thought at the time.

She wasn't complaining, though, because more than anything she had wanted to start a family with John and now that was finally happening.

Things finally seemed to be falling into place.

**~xoXox~**

He walked across the red carpet. The walls were painted a cream colour and the air smelled fresh and clean. It certainly was different from where he had set up shop.

In his gloved hands he carried a long white, rectangular box with a red bow on it. In that box was a surprise for Elizabeth Weir, a surprise that he was sure she wouldn't forget. A wicked smile spread across his face. Oh, she wouldn't forget it. Not if he had anything to do with it.

When he reached her apartment, he left the box resting against the door, waiting for when she came home. He made sure it looked presentable. _After all, she deserves the best._ He rolled his eyes at his sarcastic thought.

He let out a laugh as he walked back down the hall and towards the elevators. Oh, this was going to be fun.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? Short, I know, but I thought this was a good place to leave it. Some of you may disagree! :P**

**Review please. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

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**Chapter Ten**

Elizabeth smiled as she walked down the hall towards her apartment, her fingers linked with John's. She was so excited about John moving in with her. They had literally just packed up her car, John's car and Ronon's car with his stuff. John was walking her back up to _their_ apartment before they began unpacking and bringing his stuff up. She didn't envy him, though. He had to go up and down the elevator so many times just to bring up his stuff.

He wouldn't let her lift anything heavy, anyway, so she decided that she would just start dinner.

As they neared their apartment, Elizabeth noticed a white, rectangular box resting against the door. She frowned a little, wondering who had left it there, and who it was from. Maybe it was from John? Maybe he had wanted to surprise her?

When they reached the apartment, Elizabeth reached down and picked up the box with a smile. She looked at John who looked a little… unreadable. "Who's that from?" He asked curiously.

Elizabeth giggled. "Like you don't know," she said as she opened the door, walking in.

John walked in behind her. "I don't know."

Leaving the box on the coffee table, Elizabeth turned to look at him, a confused look on her face. "You mean you didn't have that sent to me?"

John looked a little hesitant about answering the question. "No… I didn't."

Pursing her lips, Elizabeth smiled, trying to make John relax. He probably thought she would be angry at the fact that he hadn't sent it to her. _Shouldn't he be the one who's angry at the fact that somebody sent me something?_ She thought to herself. "Oh, well… I wonder who did." She wondered curiously.

John walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "Something you're not telling me?" He asked with a smirk.

Elizabeth fiddled with the collar of his shirt. "Maybe," she said a little flirtatiously, smiling.

"Oh really?" He asked tickling her.

Elizabeth was in a fit of laughter. "Ahh, John – stop!" She continued to laugh, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. "Please," she begged. She hated being tickled.

John stopped, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, her back resting against his chest. She giggled when he nuzzled her neck. "I better go help, Ronon." He kissed her cheek before unhooking his arms from around her. She gave him a smile as he left the apartment.

Sighing, she bent down and picked up the rectangular box. She gripped the loose end of the ribbon that was tied around it and gave it a light tug. When it came undone, Elizabeth pulled the lid off. Moving the coloured paper that was in it, her eyes went wide, her stomach churning. "Oh my God." She dropped the box, clamping her hand over her mouth as she ran for the bathroom.

**~xoXox~**

"Where do you want me to leave these?" Ronon asked, carrying boxes.

John followed in behind him. "I guess anywhere. I'll sort it out when everything is up," he answered as he left the boxes down by the table that was just inside the door.

"John?" Ronon's voice had a tone of urgency to it.

Looking up, John stared at his partner. "What?"

"What's that?" He pointed to a mess by the coffee table.

"It's the box that was left outside the door for, Elizabeth," he replied, frowning. "Elizabeth?" He called as he walked closer to the mess.

He could feel Ronon following behind him. "What is it, man?" He asked concerned.

John squatted down, inspecting it. "What the-" He cut off when he realised what was in the box and all over the floor – maggots! It was covered in maggots. Who the hell would send her a box of maggots? A wilted rose peeked out from under the coloured paper. The maggots were slithering all over it, too.

Standing up, he headed towards the hall. He was worried about Elizabeth and he wanted to know if she was okay. "Elizabeth?" He called as he walked down the hall. He stopped outside the bathroom door when he heard someone throwing up. He immediately knew that it was Elizabeth. _Who else would it be, you idiot?_ He gently knocked on the door. "'Lizabeth, you okay in there?" He asked concerned.

"I'll be… out in… a minute," she said in between retches.

John waited patiently outside the bathroom door for her. He was so worried for her, but he was also a little confused. He still couldn't understand who would want to send her a dead rose covered in maggots. He knew that all this stress and worry was not good for Elizabeth and the baby.

A few minutes later the bathroom door opened and Elizabeth walked out. He immediately wrapped his arms around her. Burying her head in his chest, she began to sob. John gently ran his hand up and down her back, soothing her. "Come on, I think you should rest." He began leading her towards the bedroom.

She looked up at him, her eyes red. "No, I have to clean up that… _mess_… and get dinner ready and help you unpack," she responded, being her normal stubborn self.

"I can take care of that," he reassured as he walked into the bedroom.

Leading her over to the bed, he rolled down the covers and sat her down. Squatting down, he pulled off her shoes. Standing back up, he helped her take off her jacket. He pulled off her pants when she unbuttoned them, left only in her t-shirt and panties.

Slightly lifting up the blankets, he waited for her to lie down. When she did, he covered her over with the covers making sure that she was snug and warm. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he gently ran his hand along the top of her head. Elizabeth gave him a small, sleepy smile. He could tell she was tired. She had been going non-stop all day. "I need you to get some rest for you and the baby, okay?" He moved closer to her.

Elizabeth nodded. "Okay."

John leaned down and captured her lips, kissing her passionately. "I love you," he whispered softly.

Elizabeth smiled. "I love you, too," she said as she rolled over.

John smiled. He gave her one more kiss before leaving the room. He gently closed the door behind him. He was going to find out who had sent that box to Elizabeth. No way was he going to let that slide. He wanted to see the sick son-of-a-bitch who thought it was funny to play a sick joke like that or whatever the hell it was meant to be. In a way, he hoped it was only a sick joke and nothing more, but he couldn't be sure.

He sighed. Their perfect day had been marred by some sick asshole.

As he walked back into the living room, he saw Ronon walk in carrying some more boxes. He looked to his partner. "I want to bring that box down to the lab. I want to know who sent that to her," he said a little frustrated.

Ronon gave him a reassuring smile. "Already have it in the car."

John let out a sigh. He felt somewhat relieved. Maybe they could find this guy. He was just thankful Elizabeth and the baby was okay. "Thanks, man," he replied gratefully.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth climbed out of the bed, feeling a little more refreshed and relaxed. Pulling her pyjama bottoms off the end of the bed, she slipped them on. Going over to her dressing table, she picked up a hair tie and pulled her brown curls back into a low ponytail.

Resting her hand on her still flat stomach, she meandered out of the room and into the living room. She smiled when she seen John sit down on the couch. She also noticed that he had cleaned up the mess.

She had been so terrified when she had opened the box and seen what had been inside. It had made her stomach churn and she had ended up vomiting. She didn't know why someone would have sent that to her or why anyone would do it. She knew though, that the world was full of pretty sick people so, she knew that she shouldn't really be surprised that somebody had done something like that. She was mostly curious about who had sent it to her and why, though.

All she really wanted to do was to try and forget about it, but she knew it would be hard. Her mind held onto things, replaying them over and over again, no matter how hard she tried to block them out and forget them.

Elizabeth sat down on the couch, snuggling up against John who wrapped his arm around her, giving her a kiss. "Did you have a good sleep?" He asked lovingly.

Elizabeth smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I feel a little better."

He rested his hand on her stomach. "So, you feel fine and the baby's fine? You don't have any pains or anything?" He asked concerned.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at his attentiveness. "I feel fine and the baby's fine. The only thing I could do without is the morning sickness." She laughed, trying to reassure him.

John gave her a smile. "Okay, but let me know if anything feels out of the ordinary."

"Always do." She smiled. "So did you get everything unpacked from the cars?" She asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I did. I just left them in the spare room until tomorrow. I'll sort them out then. I hope that's okay?"

"That's fine."

"Are you hungry?" He looked at her. "Because I ordered some pizza. I got a meat lovers one and a pepperoni one." He smiled.

Elizabeth grinned. "You know me so well." The meat lover's pizza was her favourite.

**~xoXox~**

Ronon walked into the lab. He was a little frustrated about what had happened at Elizabeth's. Nobody messed with his partner or his partner's girlfriend. John and Elizabeth were like family to him, and he just hoped that the lab had found something.

He walked over to the lab technician. "Hey McKay, did you find anything?" He asked hopeful.

Rodney turned to him, a disheartened look on his face. "No, I found nothing. Not a hair, not a print, nothing. I did find a note, though," he said the last part a bit hopeful.

Ronon raised his eyebrows slightly. "What did it say?" He asked curiously.

Ronon followed Rodney over to one of the tables in the room. He looked down at the letter that was in a clear evidence bag. Rodney picked it up and read it out. "Miss me?"

Ronon frowned. "What?"

"It says, _'Miss me?'_"

**~xoXox~**

_She screamed out as she saw him lying on the hardwood floor. He had a silver blade embedded in his chest. A pool of blood lay around him. "JOHN!" She screamed._

_His head lolled to the side, his tear-filled, hazel eyes staring at her. "'L-'Liz'beth," he coughed out._

"_John, I coming… just… hold on!" Tears streamed down her face as she watched the man she loved dying on the floor. She tried to run for him, but she was blocked by something. She tried again, but she couldn't move, couldn't get anywhere. She felt like she was trapped in an invisible box. "John," she cried as she pounded her fists against the invisible barrier._

_She screamed out as he struggled to breath. He looked at her, his tear-filled eyes filled with love. "I love you, 'Lizabeth," he whispered as his eyes closed._

_She collapsed to the ground. "John, I love you." She pounded her fists again, but this time she fell forward. She was free! Crawling over to John, she laid his head in her lap. "Please wake up, John. Don't do this. Please don't leave me." She begged, kissing his lips. "Please," she whispered against his mouth._

_Her head shot up when she heard cruel laughter. "I told you, I would get you back." He leaned down and gripped her throat. "You're mine bitch!" He sneered. He pulled the blade from John's chest._

"_No, John!" She whimpered…_

"Elizabeth… honey, wake up." She felt someone shaking her.

Elizabeth shot up, her head colliding with something hard. It hurt. "Ow," she mumbled. Turning on the lamp, she sat there and looked at John. He was rubbing his head, looking at her. Concern was etched onto his face.

Her breathing was heavy and the sweat was pouring off of her. Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest. She kept staring at him and before she knew what she was doing, she had latched onto him, her arms locked tightly around his neck. She held onto him for dear life, like any minute he might disappear. Tears streamed down her face as she mumbled, "Please don't leave me," over and over again.

"'Lizabeth – Sweetheart, I can't breathe," John choked out.

Reluctantly unhooking her arms from around him, she pulled back and stared into his concerned filled, hazel eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I-I'm fine." She tried to sound reassuring.

"No, you're not. You were screaming and thrashing in the bed. I know you're not fine."

"I-I just had a nightmare." She was off again. She slung her arms around his neck, holding him close. "Oh God, John, please don't leave me." She sobbed into his shoulder.

John gently ran his hand up and down her back. "Elizabeth, I'm not going anywhere," he softly cooed.

Turning her head, she buried it in the crook of his neck. "Promise?" She mumbled into his neck. She was so afraid that he would suddenly disappear. She never wanted to let go of him – ever!

John lay down with her lying on top of him, never once taking his arms from around her. "I promise," he reassured her, kissing the top of her head.

Sniffling, Elizabeth raised her head. Looking down into his eyes, she leaned down and softly pressed her lips against his. "I love you," she mumbled against his mouth.

"I love you, too," John said as he ran his hand through her curly brown hair.

Elizabeth gave him a small smile, trying to shake the horrid feeling she had. She was still shaking slightly. She had to take her mind off of things. She needed a subject change. "How's the head?" She asked, bringing her hand up to rub the small bump on his forehead.

John chuckled. "I'll live. I'm just worried about you." Concern filled his voice once again.

"I'm fine. I just had a nightmare, is all." She went to move off of him, but he stopped her.

"Stay like this," he whispered, keeping his arms around her.

Elizabeth nodded. Sliding down a bit, she rested her head against his chest, making herself comfortable. She let out a sigh as she listened to his steady heartbeat.

She loved being like this, especially tonight. It made her feel safer and she would be sure John would be here in the morning. Now all she had to do was try to get some sleep.

It seemed almost impossible, though. She was afraid that if she closed her eyes she would see John's lifeless body in front of her.

She wanted to tell him so bad about her nightmare, but she couldn't right now. _Maybe in the morning, _she thought a little tiredly.

Elizabeth let out a yawn. John was still rubbing his hand along her back, soothing her, and the steady thrumming of his heart was making her eyes grow heavy.

Maybe she could try and sleep now.

**~xoXox~**

John walked over to his desk and sat down, sitting across from his partner. Turning on his computer, he looked across his desk at Ronon, who had his head down in a file. He probably hadn't even realised that he had sat down at his desk.

He drummed his fingers lightly on his desk while he waited for his computer to boot up. He was feeling a little impatient. There were things he needed to know and he wanted to know them now! Screw waiting. "Ronon?" He called his partner.

Ronon looked up. "When did you get in?" He asked curiously.

"Just now," John replied, but that's not what he wanted Ronon for. He wanted to ask him something that was very important. "So… did the lab find anything on the box yesterday?" He asked lowly. He didn't want anyone else in the precinct to know anything about it yet. Elizabeth had asked him not to tell anyone. She knew that Ronon already knew, but she didn't want anyone else to know.

"Ah… they found nothing. There wasn't a single piece of trace found. I'm sorry, man," Ronon said apologetically.

John ground his teeth, his anger beginning to boil. Elizabeth was not going to get any piece of mind now. He really wished they had have found something. He was worried about her. Her nightmares were getting worse again. They _had_ calmed down, but after what had happened yesterday, they had started right back up. "So, they found nothing?" He asked again, just to be sure.

"They did find a note in the box, but there was no trace found on it. The ink that was used on it came from a cheap pen that could be found in any store."

"What did it say?" He asked curiously. Ronon looked hesitant about answering it. "What did it say?" John asked again, but this time a bit more forcefully. He wasn't playing. He loved Elizabeth and he would protect her and their unborn child with his life. Nobody messed with the people he loved and got away with it.

"It said, _'Miss me?'_" Ronon answered.

John just looked at him. "Miss me?"

Ronon nodded. "That's what it said."

John frowned. What the hell did that mean? Obviously the person who had sent that to Elizabeth knew her. The question was, who was it and why? All John knew was that he intended on finding out and he was sure about that!

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth stood over the dead body with a scalpel in her hand, getting ready to do an autopsy on a male victim, an escort who had been bludgeoned to death by one of his clients.

She sighed a little.

Every time she looked down at the body on the metal table, she kept seeing John's lifeless face and it broke her heart. She felt like she was going insane. Her nightmare had frightened her more than she cared to admit.

She bit her lip and began worrying it with her teeth. She knew she had to calm down and relax. All this stress wasn't good for the baby. Closing her eyes, she sucked in a deep breath, slowly exhaling it.

Opening her eyes, she looked down at the body, a small smile appearing on her face. She felt a little bad for smiling, but the relief she felt when she no longer saw John's lifeless face surpassed her guilt.

Elizabeth had a feeling that the detectives were going to be working non-stop on the case, which meant she probably wouldn't get to see John often during the day. He would probably be home late at night, too. She didn't mind too much, though, because she knew that he had a job to do, just like she did. She just prayed that he would be okay. She knew he could take care of himself, but that didn't stop her from worrying about him.

He was the love of her life and if anything ever happened to him, she didn't think she would be able to keep on living.

She tried to clear her head of the bad thoughts and look towards the future, of what it held for them and their unborn child. It was a future held with so many different possibilities, so much hope.

Before she began the autopsy, she gently rubbed her hand along her flat stomach. "Thank you for not making me sick at work today," she softly spoke to her unborn child. She was glad that she wasn't feeling nauseous, but she knew that it could pop up at any moment. She just hoped that she could get through the autopsy without throwing up.

She sighed as she cut into the body. John hadn't wanted her to come into work today, but she hadn't wanted to stay home. She loved her job and she enjoyed doing it, despite the fact that every day she had to stare down at a lifeless victim. That was one thing that she didn't enjoy about her job – she didn't enjoy looking at poor innocent victims whose life had been savagely ended by some brute.

She he would have been bored by herself at home anyway. She would rather be out doing something productive.

She knew that he was worried about her, but she also knew that he couldn't look after her twenty-four-seven, no matter how much he wanted to. They both had jobs to do.

She decided then and there that she wasn't going to let her past ruin her present and her future. She could overcome this. She would do it for John and the baby, but especially for herself.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: For the Guest reviewer who hijacked my story to leave a review for **_**lizabeth39**_**, I passed the review on and now you can leave a review on her stories if you so wish, LOL. :D**

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**Chapter Eleven**

_Two days later._

After finishing another autopsy, Elizabeth decided to get a start on some reports. She had a few to do and she didn't want to get too far behind on her paperwork. She hated having to stay late at the morgue.

The days when she was lucky enough that she didn't have a heavy work load and she got to go home early, she would climb into her bed and snuggle down under the covers and just sleep. She relished those times. They were the only times where she got more than five hours sleep.

Now that she was pregnant, though, she felt tired most of the time and so, working late at the morgue was beginning to take its toll on her. With her nightmares back and lack of sleep, she found that she was tired all of the time.

It had been two days since she had found that rectangular box outside of her apartment door and since then she hadn't had a decent night's sleep. John had told her that they had found nothing on the box or in it, no trace or evidence. However, she did get the feeling that he wasn't telling her something. She kept asking him, but he would deny that he was keeping anything from her.

She couldn't help but wonder if the stress of everything was getting to him and that he was beginning to change his mind about being with her and having a baby. Maybe he didn't want them anymore. Maybe he didn't want the trouble that came with being with her – the woman with a dark past, a past that he knew nothing about.

Maybe she should tell him. He deserved to know. After all, they were living together and having a baby together and she loved him more than life itself, so he deserved to know. She knew she had to tell him. The only question was… how?

How do you tell your best friend, the man you loved, that you were raped and abused? He knew about some of the abuse, but he didn't know how bad it had been and he certainly didn't know about the rape, especially what her nightmares were about. He kept asking her, but she would never tell him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him because she did. She knew she wouldn't be able to stand the pain and hurt she would cause him by telling him the truth. She had seen his reaction when he had first found out about the abuse.

She let out a sigh as she signed one of the many reports she had been working on. Maybe she could tell him about the nightmares and some of the abuse, but just leave out the rape. He didn't need to know about that, not now anyway.

Groaning, she hastily stood up from her desk and quickly made her way out of her office, hand clamped over mouth. Running to the nearest bathroom, she just prayed that she could make it into one of the stalls before she threw up. She didn't want to have to explain why there was vomit on the floor. That would be too embarrassing.

Running into one of the stalls, she dropped to her knees, heaving up the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl. When she finished, she had thought she was done, but she was sadly mistaken. Groaning, she began throwing up again. She thought she had gotten away with it today. She had been feeling fine all morning, but apparently her unborn baby had other plans for her.

Finally, when she was done throwing up, she got up and flushed the toilet. Leaving the stall, she walked over to one of the many sinks and washed her hands. Leaning down, she rinsed her mouth out; making sure that the horrible taste was gone before she left the bathroom.

While she was walking back to her office she checked her watch, hoping that it was near lunch. She was having lunch with John and she couldn't wait. She desperately wanted to see him. She needed to make sure that he was fine. She knew that he was fine. Of course he was! If anything had happened she knew that Ronon would have called her. Ever since her nightmare, though, she felt even more paranoid about losing him. She couldn't lose him. Not now, not ever!

A smile crossed her face when she seen the time. She would go back to her office and grab her things, then go meet John at the precinct.

She had some pretty good news to tell her friends at the 1-6. They didn't know she was pregnant yet and so, she couldn't wait to tell them. The only people who knew were John, obviously, and Ronon. They had sworn Ronon to secrecy and she hoped that he hadn't let it slip yet. She wanted to tell them herself.

She hoped they would be happy for her and John, but she couldn't be sure how they would react because her and John had only been dating for three months, but they had been best friends for just a little over five years, so it wasn't as if she had gotten pregnant by someone she hardly knew. Anyway, she didn't really care what they thought. Just as long as the baby was fine and her and John were happy, then that's all that mattered and nothing else.

Thinking about the baby was helping take her mind off of things she would rather not think about and she was thankful for that. At least she had something to look forward to with the birth of their baby. She was going to keep her mind focused on that and hopefully she would be able to get over whatever was happening now.

**~xoXox~**

Michael sat in his cell smiling. He had just gotten some mail and he was extremely excited about what was in it. Apparently he was going to enjoy it so much.

Ripping open the manila envelope, he pulled out a set of photographs. Looking through them, he had a huge smile on his face. They were all pictures of the lovely Elizabeth Weir – the bitch who got away!

As he continued to flick through them, he felt himself getting angrier. Every time he saw a picture of the two of them together, he would get furious. To him it proved that she was cheating on him with her detective friend.

He growled. And she wondered why he always hit her? Well, it was her own fault! Nobody cheated on him; especially not with someone he hated so much – John Sheppard.

Damn, he loved making her pay!

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth walked into the bullpen, smiling when she seen John sitting at his desk. She couldn't describe how glad she was to see him sitting there. The relief that washed over her when she seen that he was okay was almost indescribable.

Walking over to him, she smiled when she reached him. He returned her smile, love reflecting back. Leaning down, she placed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Hey," she mumbled against his mouth.

He gave her a beaming smile. "Hey, yourself."

"So, we still on for lunch?"

"Yeah, just let me finish up here. I shouldn't be too much longer." He gave her a reassuring smile.

"No, that's fine. I can wait," she said as she took a seat in one of the chairs close to his desk. She slid down in the chair a bit, relaxing for the first time today. She unconsciously rested her hand on her flat stomach, as if she was already trying to feel something that was smaller than a pea.

"Elizabeth, how have you been feeling lately?" Teyla brought her out of her thoughts.

Elizabeth gave her friend a genuine smile. She would tell her only about the good parts, not the bad ones. "I'm feeling great," she exclaimed, noticing John giving her a quick glance. He knew she was lying. "Actually, John and I have some great news," she said sitting up in her chair, looking at John who gave her a smile of reassurance. She guessed now was the time to tell everyone.

"And what would that be?" She looked between the M.E and the detective.

"So what'd I miss? Did I hear something about good news?" Evan asked, sitting down at his desk and taking a sip out of his coffee.

Teyla looked to her partner. "Elizabeth and, John have some good news," she said with a smile.

"What is it?" Evan asked.

Elizabeth smiled, gripping John's hand and resting their entwined hands on her leg. "Well… I'm pregnant. We're having a baby!" She exclaimed enthusiastically, her whole body filling with joy at what she had just told her friends.

Everyone just stared at her, well except for Ronon because he already knew, but Teyla and Evan were just giving her blank looks. She was a little confused. She had thought they would be happy for her.

"Congratulations Elizabeth," Ronon said, pulling her into a hug. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him, grateful to him for breaking the weird, awkward silence.

Well, it wasn't completely broken. Evan and Teyla were still staring at her. It was beginning to freak her out. They seemed like they were in a trance or something. Finally, Teyla snapped out of it. Standing up, a smile appeared on her face. "Congratulations." She pulled Elizabeth into a hug.

"Congratulations to the both of you," Evan said, hugging her. Both he and Teyla gave John a hug, too.

"Thanks guys," John said a beaming smile on his face. He seemed really happy about the whole thing.

"So, is that why you were throwing up in the trash can at the crime scene?" Teyla asked curiously.

Elizabeth slightly blushed, giving her a small smile. "Yeah, we found out that day. John made me take three tests." She laughed lightly as she sat back down, waiting for John to finish up his paperwork. She wondered had he noticed the weird silence or had it been just her. Right now she just couldn't wait to get out of the precinct. Things just seemed weird now. She hoped she wasn't going crazy. She would have to talk to John about it.

After a few more minutes of waiting, John was finally finished. "Just let me drop these into, O'Neill and then we'll go," he said getting up from his desk.

Elizabeth nodded, watching as he walked into Captain O'Neill's office. She couldn't wait to get out of here. She still felt incredibly uncomfortable, which was weird because she was surrounded by her colleagues, but the silence was killing her. She had hoped they would have at least been happy for her. She couldn't help but think that their smiles were only put on – fake!

"Are you ready?" John asked coming up to stand beside her.

Looking up to him, she gave him a smile, gently nodding her head. "Yes!" She exclaimed, standing up. "Bye guys." She waved goodbye to her friends before grasping John's hand in hers and walking out of the bullpen, feeling secure and safe now that she had him with her.

**~xoXox~**

Teyla sat in her chair stewing over something. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the fact that Elizabeth was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. Teyla couldn't have been anymore happier for her friend, but something inside her was eating at her about the fact that she was pregnant.

After a few more minutes of stewing, she finally realised what was eating at her. She was worried that the baby was Michael's. Well, it could be.

Elizabeth and John hadn't been together that long, so there could be a good chance that it was Michael's. Teyla hoped beyond hope that it wasn't, though. She knew it would kill the two of them if it was.

"Hey Evan?" She called across her desk to her partner.

Evan looked up at her with a curious stare. "What?"

Teyla looked around to see if she could see Ronon. When she was sure he wasn't within earshot, she spoke about her concern to Evan. "You don't think, Elizabeth's baby is, Michael's, do you?" She spoke in a low whisper, so that only he could hear her.

Evan just stared at her. It looked like he didn't know how to answer the question. "Well… it could be possible, but Sheppard looked way too excited for it to be someone else's child." He shrugged his shoulders.

Teyla nodded. That made sense. Surely he wouldn't have been as happy if the child was Michael's. Then, another thought occurred to her. "What if they don't know how far along she is? Maybe they don't know?"

"Why are so hung up on it, Teyla?" Evan asked concerned.

"I just don't want to see them get hurt. I mean, let's face it, if Michael got out of prison and he found out, he would try and get full custody. We both know what type of man he is," she exclaimed. All of a sudden, the two of them jumped at the sound of Ronon's voice.

"I can't believe you two. You really think Elizabeth is like that? That she would just lie to, John?" He asked anger evident in his raspy voice.

Teyla sat there wide eyed. "No, it's just that-"

Ronon cut her off. "The baby is, John's. She's only six weeks along. I can't believe you would doubt her." He sat down at his desk, placing his mug down. "And another thing, you could have acted with a little bit more common courtesy towards her today. When she told you that she was pregnant, the both of you looked like you had just been shot!" He exclaimed, finishing the conversation and going back to his paperwork.

Teyla and Evan shared a look of surprise and shock. They hadn't expected Ronon to go off like that. She was a little confused, but then again, John was his partner and best-friend and Elizabeth was like family to him, so it would only make sense she guessed.

Sighing, she got back to her paperwork. She would have to apologise to Elizabeth for acting weird towards her after her and John's announcement.

**~xoXox~**

He sat in the dingy apartment, his whole body shaking from anticipation. He couldn't wait to get back to the task at hand. The only problem was he now had to wait another month before he could do anything else.

His boss had wanted him to wait for them to settle and forget. Then, he would strike, causing them stress and anger.

He groaned. It was like his drug. Every time he did something evil, he would feel high. Leaving the box outside of her apartment door had given him such a rush that he was currently feeling as if he was in withdrawal.

_Oh God, this month can't go by fast enough,_ he thought giddily to himself.

**~xoXox~**

John lay in bed snuggled up against Elizabeth. Her back was pressed against his chest and he had an arm wrapped around her, his hand resting on her flat stomach under her pyjama top, his fingers gently tracing circles across her tummy. His chin was resting against the top of her head.

He couldn't sleep, so he was awake, wide awake. Honestly, he was just waiting for her to wake up screaming. She had been doing that for the last two nights. Ever since she had gotten that damn box! He was so angry at the person who had left it there and if he ever found them, then he sure as hell was going to kill whoever it was, whether it was a sick joke or not!

He was just so worried about her. She was barely sleeping; she was always tense, as if expecting something terrible to happen. If she kept on going down this dark path, he was afraid that she wouldn't be able to function anymore, that she would end up going insane or worse, doing something to hurt herself. He had seen it happen to the best of people before and he didn't want that to happen to Elizabeth.

He just wanted everything to be back to normal. They were having a baby. They were going to be a family. They deserved to be happy, didn't they? Elizabeth deserved to be happy. He loved her so much and he just wanted to see her smile a genuine smile again.

He wrapped his arm around her tighter, pulling him closer to him, as if he was trying to protect her and their unborn child from an emanating threat that was about to strike.

Groaning, Elizabeth turned in her sleep, slipping an arm around his waist. Her head was slightly tilted up towards him. He looked behind him, looking at the clock on his nightstand. It read 04:30am. He smiled a little bit. This had been the longest she had slept without waking up from one of her nightmares. _Maybe she's having a good dream?_ He thought. He just hoped she would sleep the rest of the night. She needed her rest.

Smiling, he kissed her forehead, holding her close. They would overcome this. He would help her through it, no matter what. He would always be there for her and their unborn child. He loved them more than life itself. "I love you," he whispered, closing his eyes.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Okay, some Sparky fluffiness and a case ahead. The song that Elizabeth sings is 'Anything' by Hedley. Enjoy. *_***

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

Elizabeth stood in the bath tub, standing under the shower. A small sigh escaped her lips as the warm water ran down her soft, cream skin. She was in a good mood this morning. She had slept so peacefully last night, not having a single nightmare. She smiled. It might have had something to do with the fact that John was always so protective and supportive of her, that she knew she had nothing to be afraid of.

She began singing one of her favourite songs, the latest on a very long list of favourites. "Everybody said, boy, don't go any higher. Uh-uh, fuck that! I can do anything." She started dancing a little, being careful not to slip and fall. The last thing she needed now was to fall and hurt herself and the baby.

She giggled when she felt a pair of warm arms slip around her waist and hold her close, not having heard him climb into the shower. "Singing? Someone must be in a good mood?" He softly kissed her bare shoulder.

Smiling, she turned around and slipped her arms around his neck. "Good morning and yes, I am." She leaned in and pressed her lips against his in a sweet kiss.

"Why are you so happy?" He pulled back smirking.

"I didn't have nightmares last night." She gave him a beaming smile. It felt so great to be able to sleep through the night again. Hopefully it would last and that she wasn't just given one night of peace, for it to all start back up again. Hopefully things could get back on track, but something still didn't sit right with her – the box! Why would somebody have sent that to her? And more importantly, what would be the point?

She couldn't ever remember doing anything wrong, at least not anything that warranted something so disgusting. She sighed, coming out of her thoughts. No! She wasn't going to think about this now. She was in a good mood and if she kept thinking about these thoughts, then she would only make herself depressed, and she didn't want that, not today.

"That's great, baby!" John exclaimed, giving her a beaming smile as he captured her lips in a mind blowing kiss.

Elizabeth moaned into his mouth as their tongues twisted, thrusting against one another. Her body shivered when John trailed his hand down along her side, slipping around to rest on the small of her back. She tightened her arms around his neck, pushing her naked body flush up against his, her bare breasts crushing against his bare chest. She groaned. She liked the feel of him against her, skin on skin. She giggled when she felt his erection pressing into her. It felt so good, it made her groan with want.

She sighed in content when he started trailing kisses down along her neck, lightly nipping at her flesh. He began sucking on her neck and she was sure that she would have a mark, but she didn't care. She loved now, being like this, happy and protected and feeling safe. "I love you," she softly murmured.

John brought his head back up, so he was staring into her big green eyes. "I love you, too, and you don't know how happy you've made me by having my baby, _our_ baby." He smiled, gently pressing his hand against her still flat stomach.

Elizabeth grinned. "Oh, I have a fair idea." She leaned up and pressed her lips against his once more.

**~xoXox~**

John walked into the precinct with a beaming smile covering his face. For the first time in the last few days, he was actually in a great mood. He had woken up this morning to hear Elizabeth singing in the shower. Singing! She only sang in the shower when she was really happy. Waking up to that had been amazing. He was so glad that she was happy again, although as much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't sure how long that would last.

He still felt that she should talk to Doctor Heightmeyer, though. Even though, she seemed happy again, he still felt that it would do her some good to maybe have some counselling. It might be good for her to get things out in the open. She had never really talked to him about the abuse Michael had done to her, and sometimes he couldn't help but feel that she was keeping something from him. He never pried, not wanting to upset her. He was waiting for her to open up and tell him, but he knew that could be a while, but maybe she would feel more comfortable talking to someone about it, someone who understood these things better.

He sat down at his desk still smiling. He was only brought out of his thoughts when Teyla decided to speak to him. "Why are you so happy?" She questioned curiously, smirking.

John just gave her a smile. "Life's perfect. I have a beautiful girlfriend with a baby on the way. What more could you want?" He said truthfully. Well, there was one thing that would make everything perfect and that would be if Elizabeth was his wife. He would love nothing more than to spend the rest of his life knowing that he was married to the most beautiful woman on earth. Having a kid with her was just icing on the cake.

He wasn't sure that now was the right time to propose to her, though. They had only been together three months and she had already gotten pregnant so quick into the relationship. Maybe it would be best if he just waited for a while, but that still never stopped him from thinking about just asking her to marry him every time he saw her.

"And he got laid," Ronon chimed in, smirking.

John just looked at his partner. Picking up a piece of paper, he scrunched it up into a ball and threw it at him, choosing to ignore his comment.

He sighed slightly as he picked up his case file. It was the newest victim in the case they had been working on just before Elizabeth had found out she that was pregnant in fact. They still had barely any leads. They couldn't find her boyfriend, which of course made them suspicious. Maybe he had killed her and skipped town? Right now, it was their best lead. They were still canvasing the area and interviewing anyone who might have come into contact with the victim just before she had disappeared. He just hoped that they found a reliable lead soon.

As much as he loved his job, he didn't feel comfortable leaving Elizabeth alone by herself any longer than he already had to. He was always so afraid and maybe even a bit paranoid – even more so now since they had found that box – that something would happen to her and their baby. Deep down he feared that it wasn't just some sick joke and that whoever had sent that box in the first place would strike again and maybe this time do something to hurt her. He could, no would, never allow that to happen. He loved Elizabeth with all his heart and he was damned if he was going to let this ruin her life.

John was once again brought out of his thoughts when he heard O'Neill's voice boom across the squad room. "Ronon, John, I need you to go talk to, Maggie Steward's parents again, see if they've come into contact with the vic's boyfriend."

John nodded as he got up from his desk and followed Ronon out of the bullpen. He hoped this time they might find something. Maybe her parents knew something this time that would lead them on the right path to finding their daughter's rapist and killer.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth was sitting at one of the lab tables looking through a microscope when Teyla and Evan walked in. "Hey Elizabeth, have you found anything yet?" Teyla asked, walking up beside her.

Looking up from the microscope, Elizabeth gave the detectives a small smile. "Actually, I did," she said as she stood up from her seat. She walked over towards the far wall, just past the autopsy table, the detectives following closely behind her. When she reached it, she hit a switch and the x-ray board immediately lit up, showing two x-rays. She looked back at the two of them to make sure that they were close and paying attention. "You see here?" She ran her finger over a faint line along the x-ray of the victim's skull. "It's a hairline fracture," she pointed out, looking back at them.

"Could it have killed her?" Evan asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, she died from strangulation. This fracture was caused by hitting her head off of something, maybe a wall. It's about three to four weeks old."

Teyla stepped closer. "Could a beating have caused it?" She asked while looking at the x-ray.

Elizabeth nodded. "It's a possibility, which brings me to the next x-ray." She pointed to the one beside the x-ray of the victim's skull. "There's evidence of multiple rib fractures that are at least six months old. Also, I noticed what looked to be cigarette burns along her torso and thighs." She turned around, now fully facing the duo. "I'm betting on the boyfriend for this one," she put in her two cents.

"Yeah, we still haven't located him." Teyla sighed.

"Well, good luck with that," Elizabeth said, making her way over towards the microscope again. She was trying to identify some weird substance that had been found on a homicide victim. It appeared to be blood, but the only problem was, there weren't any white blood cells in it.

She still felt a little awkward around Teyla. They were friends, but she hadn't talked to her since she had announced her pregnancy. She was still unsure about how the detective felt about her pregnancy. She just wanted her friends to be happy for her and John. They were, so why couldn't everyone else be? She sighed as she sat down on the swivel chair.

"Hey Elizabeth, can I talk to you for a second?" Teyla asked walking up behind her.

Elizabeth turned around in her swivel chair, now fully facing Teyla. She crossed her legs and her arms. She looked up at Teyla, wondering what she wanted to talk to her about. "Sure." She gave her a small smile. "Is everything okay?" She asked, slightly concerned for her friend.

"Um, yeah… well no. You see, I just want to say sorry for the way I acted yesterday when you announced your pregnancy. I was just a little… shocked." She gave her a sheepish smile.

Elizabeth frowned a little. "Why?" She didn't understand why they would be shocked, but maybe that was because she was just so happy about being pregnant.

"I guess I just wasn't expecting you to be pregnant. After all, you and John have been together only three months."

Elizabeth sighed. So it was about the fact that they've only been together for three months. "Teyla – we've been best-friends for years. It's not like I went out and got pregnant by some random stranger." She pointed out, still sitting in her chair. She was too tired to argue. "Besides, we love each other and we love this baby and that's all that matters," she exclaimed. She didn't care that they had only been together three months. They loved each other and their baby and that was all that mattered, nothing else. As long as she had John and their baby, then she would be okay.

Teyla smiled. "Oh Elizabeth, I know that and that's why I'm apologising. I didn't mean to act so weird towards you. I'm happy for you." She smiled.

Well, she was glad that Teyla was happy for them. If she wasn't, then Elizabeth didn't know what she would do. She didn't think she could take any more surprises in her life right now. She wasn't able for that. She was stressed out enough and she knew that stress wasn't good for the baby. "Thanks Teyla." She gave the detective a small smile.

**~xoXox~**

"We're sorry to have to do this again, Mister and Missus Steward, but we were wondering have you come into contact with, Maggie's boyfriend, yet?" John questioned, speaking softly to the grieving parents.

Missus Steward sniffled and looked at him. "No, no, we haven't." She leaned in closer to her husband who wrapped his arm tighter around her shoulders. He had tears in his eyes, but John could see that he was trying to be the stronger of the two of them.

John stuck his hand in his pants pocket when he felt his phone vibrate. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he saw that he had a message from Teyla. It said; _Signs of abuse on the victim – possibly the boyfriend._

John looked back to the Steward's. "Did you know that your daughter was being abused?" He questioned.

Missus Steward broke down, unable to answer, so Mister Steward spoke up. "We suspected.

"How so?" Ronon spoke up.

"When she would come to visit, she would have bruises covering her face and arms. We kept asking, but she kept insisting that she was just c-clumsy." He broke down, too, burying his face in his hands. "We should have pushed more for her to tell us. M-maybe she'd still be a-alive." He tried to control his sobbing.

John sat there, looking at the two grieving parents. He felt a mix of emotions; Anger, for the fact that an innocent life had been taken and that they still didn't have a solid lead, sadness, for the fact that he felt so sorry that these two people, who seemed like good people and who loved their daughter so much, could no longer see her smile, be happy or just to simply call her up to say 'hi.'

Certain cases affected him more than he cared to admit, but he never showed it. He was viewed as a badass. Sometimes he used his tough, macho façade as a front to try and hide the guilt he felt by not being able to catch a victims assailant. Sometimes that would happen, where they had very little evidence and no concrete leads, then the assailant would get away and the victim would never have any justice.

He didn't know what he would do if the tables were turned, if he and Elizabeth were the ones trying to find justice for their child. All John knew was that he would fight till the ends of the earth to put the bastard who hurt them behind bars, but he had a feeling that if such a thing ever did happen, the person who ever did it wouldn't be alive to go to jail because he would hunt them down and kill them.

John was brought back to reality when he heard Ronon speak. "Thank you for your time, Mister and Missus Steward." He gave them a small smile while standing up.

"You'll let us know if anything comes up?" Missus Steward asked in a shaky voice.

"Of course," Ronon reassured.

John frowned slightly as they began heading towards the front door. Had he really zoned out that long and missed the whole conversation? When they were outside he turned to Ronon. "We didn't even do half the interview."

"I know. I got a message from the lab. Apparently they found something."

"About damn time," John muttered as he got into the driver's seat.

**~xoXox~**

"What do you have for us, McKay?" Ronon walked into the lab and over towards the technician.

Rodney looked at the two detectives and got up from the lab table and walked over to another. He picked up a clear evidence bag and turned back to look at the detectives. "I found blood on the bra that was used to strangle the victim."

"It was her bra," John pointed out.

"Yes, very clever," he replied sarcastically before continuing. "But this was under the hook and it didn't belong to the victim. It also belongs to the blood we found under her nails. It's male," he pointed out and put the bag back down and walked back over to his lab table. "The DNA belongs to one," he opened up the file on his computer, "Mike Williams."

"The vic's boyfriend," John exclaimed, looking at Ronon.

"Yeah, the only problem is, we have no idea where he is." Ronon also pointed out.

John sighed. That was true, but at least they had a concrete lead that they could follow now, and maybe they would end up finding him. All he knew was that now that they had this lead, he wasn't going to give up until he found the son-of-a-bitch.

"We're running the trace that was found at the scene through the computer, but nothing has come up yet. Whatever it was has been contaminated from all the grime that was lying around the alley where the body was found," Rodney spoke.

John nodded. "Okay, thanks." He walked out of the lab with Ronon in tow. The DNA was the best lead they had now, so now they could focus on finding her so called 'boyfriend.'

John had seen a lot throughout his life time, but he still sometimes found it hard to understand how someone that claimed to love the person they're with could be able to hurt them. What would possess someone to hurt the person they love? He didn't get it. If you were with someone that you cared about, then you were suppose to respect, protect and love them with your life, but he guessed that some people didn't see it that way.

He just couldn't wait to go home so he could see Elizabeth and hold her close.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth found herself sitting on the couch watching a romantic movie and eating one of her latest concoctions – pickles and peanut butter. She had no idea how she could stomach it now, because before she was pregnant, even the thought of eating something like that would have made her gag. Now though, she found herself craving it almost every day.

She gently caressed her stomach as she took another bite out of her pickle and peanut butter, moaning in satisfaction. God, it tasted so good. "You like that, don't you, Little Shep?" She softly cooed to her stomach, referring to the pickle she had just taken a bite out of.

She looked up when she heard the apartment door open up, smiling when she seen John walk in. "Hey baby." He smiled as he shut the door.

"Hey honey, how was work?" She asked, smiling as he walked over towards her.

He sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. He looked at her, staring into her green eyes. "Stressful. We had to interview the vic's parents again. The lab found blood on the bra that was used to strangle her; it matched the blood under her finger nails."

"Did you find out whose blood it was?" Elizabeth asked.

John nodded. "Her boyfriend. Apparently he was abusing her, too."

Elizabeth nodded. She already knew that the victim was being abused. "Yeah, there were signs of abuse on the victim's body. Teyla and, Evan dropped by the morgue today and I showed them the evidence."

John kissed her temple. "Enough about work. How are you feeling?" He asked softly.

She nodded. "Fine." She dipped the pickle in the jar of peanut butter.

John scrunched up his nose. "What are you eating?" He questioned, sounding as if she were about to eat a live cat or something.

She gave him a smile. "Pickles and peanut butter. Want some?" She held it up to him.

John gently pushed her hand back down. "No thanks. I think you need it more than me." He laughed.

Elizabeth just looked at him. That wasn't funny. Did he just insult her? Dropping the pickle in the peanut butter jar, she scowled at John. "And what's that supposed to mean?" She exclaimed, standing up and crossing her arms. "Are you calling me fat?!" She exclaimed.

John's eyes went wide. "What? 'Lizabeth, no, it was just a- How did you get fat out of th-" She cut him off.

"You better make yourself comfortable because you ain't sleepin' in my bed tonight," she exclaimed, storming off towards her room.

**~xoXox~**

John sat on the couch gobsmacked. He had no idea what had just happened. One minute everything had been fine, then the next, she was accusing him of calling her fat. He had only meant that she seemed to be enjoying it and besides, it looked horrible. She had obviously taken his statement the wrong way. Maybe it had come out of his mouth the wrong way. God, he was such an idiot.

He had to make a mess of things after they were having such a good day. He sighed. He knew how to make it up to her. Standing up, he picked the bag he had left down on the coffee table, up. He walked towards their bedroom, clutching the bag of sour gummy worms in his hand. Elizabeth loved these. She couldn't get enough of them.

Lightly pushing open the door, he saw Elizabeth lying on her belly on his side of the bed. He rolled his eyes. He walked over to her, lightly smacking her bottom as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside her. He rested his hand on the small of her back, gently rubbing it along it. "You can't ignore me forever." He spoke softly, trying to get her to talk to him.

"I can try," she mumbled, still not looking at him.

"Well then, I guess you won't want these," John said, teasing her with the sound of a rattling bag. Leaning over slightly, he waved the bag in front of her face.

He moved it away from her when she went to grab the bag. "Hey!" She whined, rolling onto her back.

She went to grab them again, but again he pulled them away from her laughing. "Do I still have to sleep on the couch?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Elizabeth pursed her lips and John thought she looked so adorable. "Okay, you can sleep in the guest bed." She gave him a smug grin, reaching for the packet again.

He held them up in the air. He chuckled. Elizabeth knelt up and went for them again. He leaned back, trying to stop her from grabbing the packet out of his hand. "Where do I have to sleep?" He asked still chuckling.

"I already told you, the guest room," she huffed out. "Give me the gummy worms, John," she whined.

John stood up, holding the jellies high in the air. "Nope. If you want them, you're gonna have to come and get them." He smirked, waving the bag.

"Fine," Elizabeth said exasperated. He let out a surprised yelp when she jumped on him and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He ended up dropping the jellies in an effort to catch her to stop her from falling. "Elizabeth, what were you thinking?" He asked a little shocked.

"I was thinking, I want those gummy worms." She looked at him as if she was stating the obvious.

"What happens if I hadn't of caught you?" He asked softly.

"I would have knocked you over."

"And probably hurt you and the baby."

He watched as Elizabeth's expression changed. Her lower lip began to quiver and tears welled up in her eyes. She buried her head in the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry. I was having too much fun and I never thought." She sobbed.

John gently rubbed her back. His heart broke having to listen to her sob. He had made her cry. God, he was really putting his foot in it. "Don't cry, baby," he softly cooed.

"Are you mad at me?" She mumbled into his neck, her warm tears wetting his skin.

"No baby, you just surprised me." He kissed her forehead.

Elizabeth raised her head and looked into his hazel eyes. "I'm sorry I was mad at you." She pouted.

John smiled. "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean for it to sound the way it did."

She just nodded. "I know." She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. "I was just being stubborn," she mumbled against his lips.

John smiled. She was being stubborn, but he loved that about her. He loved her so much and he didn't think that anything she did would ever make him leave her or love her any less. "I love you," he said, setting her back down on the bed.

Elizabeth sat down on the bed and smiled up at him. "I love you, too." She pulled her lower lip through her teeth. "So… do I still get the gummy worms?" She asked, sounding hopeful.

John chuckled and bent down and picked up the bag of sour gummy worms, handing them to her. "Of course you do."

She smiled, taking them off of him. "I guess you can sleep in bed with me tonight." She smiled.

John smirked. "Oh, I'll be doing more than just sleeping." He gently eased her back down onto the soft bed and climbed on top of her.

"Oh really?" Elizabeth giggled when he began nuzzling her neck.

John just nodded in response. He was too busy sucking on her neck to even give an answer. He growled playfully when Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist. "I have a feeling this is going to be a long night," she breathed out, giggling.

John lifted his head up and looked down into her eyes. "You're damn right it's gonna be," he exclaimed.

He leaned down and captured her mouth, slipping his tongue in through her already parted lips.

He planned to make love to her all night long, until she was sore in the morning.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

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**Chapter Thirteen**

_December 12__th__. Three months pregnant._

"Okay Elizabeth, this might be a little cold." Doctor Beckett told her as he squirted the cool gel on her belly.

Elizabeth nodded, looking at John who gave her a reassuring smile. He held onto her hand, letting his thumb gently stroke along the back of it. She knew he was just as excited about this scan as she was. They were finally getting the chance to see their baby.

"Okay Elizabeth, just relax now and we'll have a look at your baby." Doctor Beckett gave her a smile.

"Okay." She smiled excitedly. She couldn't wait to see their baby up on the screen. Even though, she was only three months along, she couldn't wait to be able to finally meet their baby. She just hoped that everything was okay with the little tyke.

The morning sickness was still kind of a drag, but she knew that she would do it all over again if it meant that she would get to have John's baby. It was something that she had always longed for, even before they had ever gotten together, before they had ever admitted their feelings for one another. She was still utterly and completely smitten with him. Ever since the first day she had met him, she had become smitten with him and she didn't think that would change any time soon. The fact that they were together now made her love him even more, if that were even possible.

Elizabeth was brought out of her thoughts when Doctor Beckett moved the wand across her abdomen. Elizabeth watched as an image appeared on the screen. She felt her eyes sting with unshed tears as the image of her baby appeared up on the monitor. She looked up at John who had a big smile on his face. She turned her attention back to the screen. "Oh, look at Little Shep." She smiled.

Doctor Beckett looked at her curiously. "Little Shep?" He asked smirking.

Elizabeth smiled sheepishly. "Well, we don't know if we are having a boy or a girl and we didn't feel comfortable calling our baby an 'it,' so that's why I call the baby, Little Shep."

Doctor Beckett nodded as he shifted the wand on Elizabeth's stomach. "Do you want to hear the heartbeat?" He asked curiously.

Both Elizabeth and John nodded. "Definitely!" Elizabeth exclaimed with a grin. Doctor Beckett hit a switch, and the sound of their baby's heartbeat sounded throughout the room. Elizabeth felt her eyes tear up even more. "It's so beautiful," she sniffled a little.

"Amazing…" John mumbled. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, making her smile.

She continued to look at the monitor as Doctor Beckett began wiping the gel off of her stomach. "Well, I want to see you back here in a month. You'll be able to know the sex, if you want, too?" He looked at them smiling.

Elizabeth let John speak this time. "Well, we were thinking of maybe having it a surprise." He smiled excitedly as he watched the baby on the screen. Elizabeth nodded in agreement.

"Okay, well I'll just print off some pictures for you," he said smiling.

When Doctor Beckett left the room, Elizabeth pulled her top down over her stomach, letting her hand gently rub along the small curvature of her tummy that was beginning to form. Both she and John looked at the frozen image of their baby up on the ultrasound screen.

"That's our baby in there," John softly murmured his voice full of emotion as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Elizabeth couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of joy circulating through her entire body right now. She was so happy. She gave him a teary-eyed smile. "That was amazing." She dried her eyes with the back of her hand.

John nodded in agreement. He seemed a little speechless. "That was… wow," he breathed out smiling.

Elizabeth sighed, wishing that Doctor Beckett would hurry up and return so they could get out of here. She was desperate to spend some quality time with John. The both of them had been working so hard lately that they barely had time for each other. They were even lucky that John had managed to get the day off to come to the scan with her.

Doctor Beckett finally walked back into the room. "Here you go." He handed Elizabeth two pictures of her baby.

Elizabeth gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you." She had two baby scans, one for her and one for John.

"Okay, so I want to see you back here, January 9th for your four month scan. Your due date is around the end of May, so I'm going to want to do another couple of scans just before then, just to make sure everything is fine before you give birth." He gave them a reassuring smile.

Elizabeth climbed down off of the bed with the help of John. "Okay." She smiled. "Thanks, Doctor Beckett. Bye," she said as they headed for the door.

**~xoXox~**

Precision! That's what had to be done. His handwriting had to change. It went from cursive to print. He couldn't risk them catching him.

He sat at the old rickety desk, the chair just as bad. Reaching down, he pulled open the drawer and pulled out a brown paper bag. He smiled as he opened it and looked into it. His month was up and so now he got to have his fun. Shoving his hand into the bag, he pulled out a pair of purple panties.

Picking up a scissors, he cut a piece out of the panties. He dipped it in bleach, making sure that he destroyed any evidence that might be on the chunk of cloth. When it dried he pinned it to a note. Shoving it in an envelope, he taped it shut, being careful not lick it. He couldn't risk leaving his DNA. He couldn't get caught… not yet anyway.

He laughed a cruel laugh as he stood up from where he had been sitting. This one was for none other than Detective Sheppard. His 'mission' as he called it, was to wind the detective up by sending him a message every two weeks until he had gotten the point across.

He laughed even harder. He had no doubt this message was going to shock and anger him. Things were beginning to get interesting.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth sat at the table in Benny's across from John. She was looking through the menu, seeing if anything picked at her appetite, but so far nothing. Not even her favourite foods seemed appetizing. In fact, just reading the names made her want to throw up.

She sighed. Placing the menu down, she looked across at John who was just looking at her with a smile on his face. "What?" She asked, smiling.

"Can't find anything you like, can you?" He smirked.

"Everything just sounds so… blah!" She scrunched up her nose, causing John to laugh. "The baby is really messing with my appetite."

John stood up and held out his hand for her to take. Elizabeth looked at him with curiosity, but took a hold of his hand nonetheless and stood up. "Where are we going?" She asked as John pulled her by the hand.

John just looked at her and smiled. "Come on, I think I know what you want."

Shrugging her shoulders, she willingly followed him out into the streets. She wrapped her jacket around her tighter as the cold December air pummelled her skin, causing her to shiver. John wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer, holding onto her tight. The warmth from his body felt so good, even though they were still fully clothed. She smiled as she watched the flakes of snow fall down from the dull sky and begin to cover the street below. It was a beautiful sight. She loved Christmas and everything that entailed from it. Snow was her favourite. It made everything look so beautiful.

She wondered where they were going, but never asked. She just let John lead her. Maybe he wanted it to be a surprise?

She smiled as she slipped her arm around his waist. Her and surprises didn't mix. She always got too anxious and giddy just thinking about what it was. She sometimes hated them because it would drive her insane not knowing, but she guessed she could wait this one out.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth sat on the couch, snuggled up under a blanket with John. She was eating pickles and peanut butter, exactly what she had been craving, and watching 'Knocked Up.'

When they had left the diner, John had brought her to the store and had gotten her some pickles and peanut butter, then they had went to the movie store and she had convinced John to let her get 'Knocked Up.' He of course had said that if she got to watch that, then he got to get 'Bad Boys.' He was making her watch it after her movie finished.

She didn't really like that movie, but fair was fair.

"I can't believe you made me watch, 'Knocked Up'," John exclaimed.

"Hey, this is a good movie," Elizabeth mumbled while chewing on her pickle.

"Whatever, but we're watching 'Bad Boys' after this and no one is to ever know that I watched this dumb movie." He scowled.

Elizabeth looked at him and smiled. "Aww, does big bad John, not want anyone to know that he has a softer side?" She said it as if she were talking to a baby.

John pursed his lips. "Eat your pickle, woman!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and settled back down beside him, resting her head against his shoulder. She smiled when she felt John trace small, slow circles along the small curvature of her tummy.

This was exactly what they needed, some quality time alone.

**~xoXox~**

John walked into the precinct and sat down at his desk, slightly frowning when he saw a small envelope with his name on it. It didn't have a stamp or anything, so it had to have been hand delivered.

He shrugged as he picked up the small envelope. Well, he might as well have a look. Ripping open the envelope, he pulled out the contents, frowning at what he saw. It was a small piece of paper with a piece of purple cloth stuck to it. He held it up closer to his face, immediately dropping it back down. The smell off of it was so strong. He frowned. It smelled like bleach, but why would anyone send that to him?

Flipping the piece of paper over, there was a very short message written on the back.

He looked to Ronon and held up the note, thinking it was some sort of joke. "Ronon, did you send this to me?" He questioned curiously, his attention going back to the note in his hands.

Ronon looked at him. "No." He got up from his desk and moved to stand behind John and looked over his shoulder. "What does it say?" He questioned curiously.

John held the note up, baffled at what was written on it. He had no idea what it meant, but he was definitely bringing it down to the lab. This was the second time something mysterious had turned up.

The two of them looked down at the tiny piece of paper with a chunk of purple cloth stuck to it.

It read; '_One, two, three…'_

**~xoXox~**

"Oh John, isn't this cute?" Elizabeth all but squealed as she held up the tiny new born all-in-one. She looked back at him with a beaming smile across her face. She looked at him expectantly, frowning when he didn't answer her. He seemed to be in a daze. "John?" She gently called again. She touched his arm, which caused him to jump, that made her frown even more. What was wrong with him?

"Huh, what?" He asked, seeming slightly startled. He looked at her curiously. She held up the all-in-one so he could see. "Oh yeah, it's great." He smiled a little, but it seemed forced, like he wasn't having fun.

Maybe he just wasn't into it. Maybe he hated the idea of looking at baby clothes. She couldn't help but let her mind wonder was he regretting this, their relationship, the baby, everything. Maybe he couldn't handle it anymore.

All the drama Michael had caused in the past still gnawed at her, but she tried to push it down, to stop it from resurfacing and ruining her new and happy life, but maybe it was all finally getting to John and maybe he just couldn't handle it anymore. She knew he loved her. He told her every day, but that still didn't mean that he wasn't trying to come to terms with the abuse Michael had done to her. In fact, she was still trying to come to terms with it. She sighed slightly. She knew she was going to have to tell him about the rape, but she could never bring herself to actually tell him.

She could never find the right time to tell him. Well, was there really a right time to tell your boyfriend, the man who you loved with all your heart, that you were raped by your ex's best-friend and that he beat you while doing it, too? No, she knew there was no right way to tell him, no right time. She just had to come out and tell him, but not today. She had to prepare herself first. She couldn't just tell him on a whim. She really had to think about what she was going to say.

Coming out of her thoughts, she turned back around to the rack and put the all-in-one back down. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking back at him. She was worried about him. He didn't seem to be himself. Maybe it was a case that had gotten him all bothered and that it wasn't the fact that he was changing his mind.

She knew the case that was probably frustrating him. They had been working it for weeks. They were still looking for the victim's boyfriend and they also suspected him of murdering two other women before that, too. She just hoped they caught him soon.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled at her again, but it still looked forced.

She frowned at him, not fully believing him. "Are you sure? You don't seem like yourself today." She let her eyes roam over him, trying to see if she could find anything that might give her a clue as to why he was acting so weird.

"I'm fine, I promise." He gripped her hand and held onto it with a tight grip. "Come on; let's get some things for the baby." He spoke with excitement in his tone as he picked up the tiny yellow all-in-one that she had previously put down.

Elizabeth slightly shook her head, deciding to just drop it. He wasn't going to tell her, so there was no point in pushing him. She guessed he would tell her when he was ready, but that didn't stop her from worrying about him. She couldn't help but feel that he was hiding something from her, something that maybe she should know. "Okay." She smiled.

She could shop for baby things. They didn't know the sex of their baby because it was too early to tell, but she didn't think she wanted to know. She kind of wanted it to be a surprise, but that didn't mean she couldn't look at gender neutral clothing. It would certainly help keep her mind off of things that she would rather not think about at this moment in time.

**~xoXox~**

"So, did you do as I asked?" He spoke quietly into the receiver, but just loud enough for the person on the other end to hear.

"_Yes I did. I got it and then sent the letter to him."_ He laughed a wicked laugh into the other end.

Michael smiled a cruel smile. "Excellent. I'm sure he'll soon figure something out. Stupid detective," he muttered.

"_I have two more letters to send and if he doesn't figure it out, I have something else up my sleeve."_ He continued to laugh cruelly.

Michael nodded, even though the person on the other end couldn't see him. "I'll call you in two weeks." He said nothing more and hung up the phone. He smirked as he began walking back to his jail cell. Oh, this was going to be fun. He could tell.

Destroying both of them was just the icing on the cake.

**~xoXox~**

John unlocked the apartment door and pushed it open. He allowed Elizabeth to go in first and then he followed in behind her, shutting the door.

He followed her down the hall and headed towards their room carrying bags upon bags of baby items. He was almost sorry that he had suggested getting things for the baby. He hadn't thought she would get so much. Hell, they didn't even know the gender of the baby.

He sighed slightly.

It was good to see her happy and excited, though. Plus, it got her to stop asking him was he okay. He loved that she cared about him, but he hated lying to her. If she had have kept asking was he okay, then he would have blurted out about the letter and the possible stalker that she or they might have. He didn't want to frighten her. She didn't need to worry about something that, hopefully, he could handle. She was already stressed out enough and telling her would only stress her out even more, which was something he definitely didn't want.

He placed the bags down on the trunk at the end of their bed, smirking when he seen Elizabeth plop down onto the soft mattress. "God, I'm so tired." She yawned, as she lay back and stared up at the ceiling with her legs still dangling over the side of the bed.

John walked around to her and stood between her legs. Bending down he pressed his lips against hers, giving her a sweet kiss. "I have to run down to the precinct for a while." He mumbled sheepishly. He hated having to leave her, but he had to find out if Ronon had found anything on the security cameras. He couldn't look at them himself because O'Neill had made him go home and take the day off.

He stood up when Elizabeth sat up. She looked up at him, just staring at him. "I thought it was your day off?" She pouted as she slipped her arms around his waist and rested the side of her head against his stomach.

John wrapped his arms around her as best as he could. "I just have to finish off some paperwork." He lied to her, glad at that moment that she wasn't looking at him because he knew she would be able to tell that he was lying to her.

"Do you have to?" She whined slightly as she tightened her grip on him.

"I'll only be an hour tops, promise." He looked down at her when she looked up at him. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Why don't you get some rest and by the time you wake up, I'll be home." He spoke softly, letting his hand run through her curly brown hair.

Elizabeth pursed her lips as she seemed to contemplate it for a moment. "Okay, but when you get back can we go Christmas tree shopping?" She asked hopeful.

John smirked and tilted her head some more, so he could capture her luscious lips. "It's a date," he murmured against her mouth.

Elizabeth giggled. "Good, then I can't wait." She smiled up at him, her big green eyes shimmering with happiness.

He sighed slightly. Now, that was what he liked to see. Hopefully it would last.

He helped her strip off some of her clothes and then helped her into the cosy bed. Fixing the blankets on her, he sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "You get some rest now, okay." He kissed her lips.

Elizabeth smiled. "Mmm, give me another one." John smirked as he playfully rolled his eyes when he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers once again, but holding it a little longer this time.

"I won't be long." He smiled down at her, wanting to ravish her then and there, but she was tired and he had to get to the precinct to check the tapes.

"An hour," she pointed out.

"An hour," he agreed. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before getting up and walking out of the room.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

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**Chapter Fourteen**

John walked into the precinct and for some reason his heart began thumping wildly. Maybe it was the fact that he was so close to finding something that could maybe lead him on the right track to finding whoever was stalking them. He guessed he could call it that because it definitely did seem like it.

As he stepped onto the elevator and pressed the button that would bring him to his floor, he was left with his thoughts. He remembered what Rodney had told him last night about the note and piece of purple cloth;

_John walked into the lab hoping beyond belief that they had found something on the note or the piece of purple cloth, but he had a feeling that they wouldn't find anything on it. He knew that the bleach had more than likely destroyed any trace of evidence, but maybe there was hope for the note. Maybe they had found something._

_Okay, so maybe he was being a bit optimistic, but honestly today had been going so great until he had opened that stupid envelope. He knew he was going to have to keep this from Elizabeth, though. He knew that she would probably be able to tell that something was up with him, especially if he kept letting his emotions about it show through. He was going to have to hide it, and hide it good. She couldn't know. She was already stressed out and he was afraid that she would start having nightmares again._

_Although, he already knew that was a possibility. Just because she had had a few weeks of a good night's sleep, didn't mean that she wouldn't have another nightmare tonight. He just prayed that she didn't. He hated seeing her depressed and upset and always on edge. _

_He came out of his thoughts when he reached the lab table where Rodney was standing. Right now, Rodney was the only one John trusted to work on this without telling anyone. He didn't want his colleagues to know about this until he could be sure that it was something to be worried about, something that he couldn't handle on his own. Ronon already knew, but he knew he wouldn't say anything._

"_Did you find anything?" John asked hopeful. God he hoped he did._

_He sighed, his hopes being dashed when Rodney gave him a less than optimistic look. "Unfortunately I found nothing on the piece of cloth. The bleach destroyed any trace that might have been on it."_

"_So, there was absolutely nothing?" John pried some more._

_Rodney gave him a small smile. "Well, I did find something interesting about the note."_

_John felt his heart jump a bit. Finally! Hopefully, this could give him a lead. "What is it?" He asked, feeling slightly impatient about having to wait to find out._

_Rodney picked two evidence bags up off of the table. "Well, the handwriting on this note," he held up the note that had been sent to John, "matches the last note that was sent to, Elizabeth's apartment."_

_John walked closer, frowning. So it was the same person? He looked at the two notes and if he was being honest, the handwriting did look the same, although he was no expert, so he relied on Rodney, who he knew was very thorough with his work, which is why he was the best one to have been given the job. "So, the same person wrote both notes?" He asked making sure he had heard correct._

_Rodney nodded. "I'm afraid so, even the paper is the same. John, I'm afraid it may look like the both of you have a stalker," he said slowly._

_His heart started pounding in his chest as he thought about the fact that they may have a stalker. He couldn't understand why they would have one. Granted, over the years he had made a few enemies on the job, but he knew that Elizabeth had never done anything that she would have enemies._

_Maybe whoever it was, was after him, but then the only thing was, why send Elizabeth the first note with the box?_

_That's when John finally put two and two together. The box that had been sent to her had been pretty personal and so had the note. He looked down at the note that had been sent to her, re-reading it; 'Miss Me?' _

_He frowned, still wondering what that meant. So now, the question was; was this person after Elizabeth or him or the both of them? It was a little confusing because notes had been sent to the both of them, but he couldn't help the gut feeling that underneath all of this, whatever it was, that it had something to do with Elizabeth. The only question was, how?_

"_Thanks," he mumbled as he walked out of the lab, his mind a flurry of thoughts…_

He came out of his thoughts when the elevator dinged, signalling that he had arrived at his floor. As he stepped off the elevator, he was once again absorbed into his thoughts as he walked down the hall towards the bullpen.

He couldn't help but wonder again that maybe she was keeping something from him. After all, she had kept the abuse from him for a long time. The only reason she had told him in the first place was because he had seen the bruises. When he thought about that fact, he would still feel slightly guilty that he had never noticed it, never noticed the signs. It still got to him sometimes. He worked in SVU and he had been oblivious to it!

He mentally smacked himself for thinking like that. He was making it sound like he didn't trust her, when in fact, he trusted her with his entire being. He loved her too much to ever let anything harm her or their baby and maybe that's what was keeping him guessing.

He sighed a little bit. That was all over now and he wasn't sure that pushing her to tell him would be a good idea. He was afraid that if he pushed too hard he would lose her and he did not want that to happen. Maybe he did worry about her too much, but he cared for her and loved her more than life itself. She was carrying his baby. All he wanted to do was protect them and make them happy.

He had no idea what he was going to do. All he did know was that he wasn't going to tell Elizabeth until he had all of the facts. She didn't need to know, not right now anyway.

He sighed as he walked into the bullpen and seen Ronon standing at one of the large screens. It looked like he was going over some camera footage. Hopefully that was the security tape footage. John frowned a little. Should he be looking at those out in such an open area? He didn't want anyone else to know. Well, not yet anyway.

He walked over to Ronon and stood beside him and looked at the tape playing on the screen. "Is that the footage from outside the precinct?" John asked as he looked at his partner.

Ronon looked at him. "It is."

"Then why are you looking at it in the bullpen?" He questioned feeling slightly angry at his partner. He had specifically told him not to let anyone else know, which also meant don't let them see it, either.

"Nobody else is here." He pointed to the two other empty desks. "Lorne and Teyla are out working on a case. They had to go to Jersey to interview a victim's parents," Ronon pointed out.

John slightly shook his head, giving his partner an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, man. I'm just feeling slightly on edge, I guess. I just want to catch this asshole."

Ronon patted his shoulder. "I know. We'll get him, Sheppard," he tried to reassure.

John nodded, feeling slightly hopeful, but also slightly doubtful. The evidence was very lacking and so, it was hard to tell whether they would ever catch this guy or not. "So, did you find anything?" He asked hopeful.

Ronon nodded while playing the tape. "You see here," he pointed to a young boy on the screen. "That's the delivery boy. Whoever gave him the envelope stayed out of view of the cameras, but I got Rodney up here last night and he enhanced the footage." He looked at John. "It definitely is the envelope that was left on your desk, but also, we might be able to track this boy down."

"How?" John questioned, now fully interested in it.

"Well, we noticed a logo on his cap, but it was also the same on his shirt. He works down at the batting cages. A place called 'Pitch 'n' Bat.'" Ronon pointed out.

John felt his heart speed up. Could this be it? Oh dear God, he hoped it was the lead that he had been looking for. Maybe the boy had gotten a good look at whoever had wanted him to deliver the envelope. He did find it kind of strange though, that he got this kid, who worked at the batting cages, to deliver the note.

All different kinds of possibilities ran through his mind. "We have to go see this kid!" John exclaimed.

Ronon nodded in agreement. "It's only a few blocks from here."

John watched as Ronon turned off the giant monitor and took the disc out and placed it in his desk drawer. Once he was ready, the two of them walked out of the precinct. John just hoped that this did lead somewhere.

**~xoXox~**

Walking into 'Pitch 'n' Bat' John and Ronon stood back, waiting for the people who were already at the booth to grab their gear and go. John could see the young boy standing behind the counter. He was the one on the security cameras.

When the customers left, John and Ronon stepped up to the booth, holding up their badges. John kept his face calm, but he wanted to laugh so bad at the look the kid had on his face when they had held up their badges. "We're here about the envelope you delivered yesterday to the Special Victims," John spoke.

The boy frowned at them. "I knew it was too good to be true," he muttered.

"What's your name young man?" Ronon asked.

"Derek." The young teenager replied.

"Well Derek, why was it too good to be true?" John asked curiously, hoping that this kid had something for them.

"Some guy paid me two hundred bucks just to drop off an envelope to a, Detective Sheppard down at the Special Victims Unit. I thought it was weird, but hey, it was two hundred bucks," he exclaimed.

"Did you get a good look at him?" Ronon asked.

Derek paused for a moment. He seemed to think about it. "No, he stood in the shade and he wore a hat with his hood pulled up. He also wore sun glasses, which I thought was weird because it was dark out."

"Do you remember what time it was?" John asked.

"Ah yeah, it was around seven. We were just closing up when he approached me. Am I in trouble?" He sounded a little worried.

"No, but we are gonna need that two hundred bucks he gave you," Ronon pointed out.

"Oh, did I say two hundred. I meant fifty." He nodded, trying to convince them.

John growled slightly. He didn't have time to mess around. This wasn't just some guy who decided to play a trick by sending him a weird letter. It was a complete psycho, well he thought so anyway. "Listen kid, that was me you left the envelope for and if you don't cooperate, I'll arrest you for obstruction," John exclaimed, his voice slightly rose.

The teenager looked terrified. He pulled out his wallet and left the two hundred bucks on the counter of the booth. Ronon pulled out a latex glove and picked up the money and put it into the evidence bag. "Thank you." Ronon gave him a small smile before the both of them left.

As they were leaving John felt a little hopeful about the money. Perps usually weren't as careful with handling their money as they were with trying to clean evidence off of something. He just hoped that the person he was after wasn't as smart as that and would mess up sometime. He was counting on that happening.

He had to leave evidence sometime, didn't he? No one was that careful. Even the toughest perps to get on evidence alone were sometimes caught when they messed up.

As they neared the car, John got a text. Pulling out his phone, he saw that it was from Elizabeth. He smirked as he read it.

_Hey babe, will you get me some chilli Doritos on your way home? :)_ – 'Liz'Bear.

_Aren't you supposed to be asleep? :P_ – John.

_*Pouts.* I got hungry. :( So, will you? I'll love you forever._ :) – 'Liz'Bear.

John rolled his eyes as he read the text.

_I'll pick some up on the way home. :) _– John.

_Speaking of? When will you be home? :)_ – 'Liz'Bear.

_In a few. :)_ – John.

_I love you. :) xxx _– 'Liz'Bear.

_Love you, too. :)_ – John.

John got into the driver's side of the car and waited for Ronon to get in. Once he was in, he began driving back to the precinct where he would drop him off. "Is it okay if I just drop you back to the precinct? I told, Elizabeth I wouldn't be long." He looked to his partner.

Ronon nodded. "That's fine. I can take the money down to, McKay and see if he can get anything off of it."

"Thanks, man," John said gratefully.

**~xoXox~**

He worked diligently on finding anything on the money that Ronon had brought him. So far he had two sets of prints. He knew the smaller set were from the teenage boy. The second set he had running through the system right now. He looked to the computer screen and seen that it was still flicking through thousands and thousands of images to try and come up with a match. He really hoped he found something this time. He lost a little bit of hope every time he had to tell John that he hadn't found anything on any of the evidence he had given him over the last few weeks.

He couldn't deny that the items he had given him were quite strange. He knew they didn't have anything to do with an opened or closed case because neither he nor Ronon wanted anyone to know. It was obviously personal to John and so, Rodney did as he was asked and kept it quiet. In a way it was easier for him to try and find evidence on the items because he didn't have to confer with any of the other lab technicians and he didn't have the evidence being passed around with different people working on it. This way he could keep track of it and his findings, so he could relay them to Detectives Sheppard and Dex.

He sighed slightly as he swabbed the money for any trace. He put it into a machine to see if anything out of the ordinary came up, but he wouldn't be too surprised if it didn't. The evidence he had been given over the last few weeks was very disappointing and he would hate to have to try and win a case with it and that was for sure.

He looked to the computer when he heard a beeping noise. His hopes were dashed when he seen that it said 'no match.' He regretfully turned to look at Ronon who had been standing near one of the tables in the lab. "I'm sorry Ronon, but there was no match on the second set of prints. Whoever gave the kid the money isn't in the system." He sighed once more.

"Well, thanks anyway, McKay," Ronon said.

Just as he was about to walk out of the lab, Rodney looked back to the computer where he had the swab running for tests. "Ronon, wait!" He exclaimed. "Something came up on the notes." He pointed out.

Ronon hurried over to his side. "What is it?" He asked curiously.

Rodney frowned a little. "I'm not sure yet. I'm going to have to do more tests on it, but I can tell you that this money wasn't taken straight from an ATM or even from a store for that matter."

Ronon looked at him, frowning. "What?" He asked confused.

"Well, usually when money is taken from an ATM it's crisp and clean. Money from a store would have been handled a lot. I reckon the owner of this cash would have had to have had it a couple of months, just resting in his wallet. It contains traces of dust particles, among other things. It's almost as if it had been sitting on a table or a press for months. I'm going to have to do more tests to find out what the rest of the particles are." He gave him the somewhat good news. He felt slightly happy that at least he could deliver that little bit news.

Maybe there was a chance they could find this guy. He had gotten evidence off of less, which had helped in the finding of a suspect. Ronon gave him a small smile. "Thanks, McKay. I'm sure this will help."

Rodney smiled slightly as Ronon walked out of the lab.

**~xoXox~**

She leaned over the porcelain bowl as she heaved up the contents of her stomach. She sighed slightly when she finished, but still kept her head practically buried in the toilet… just in case. The morning sickness wasn't so bad now that she was finally heading into her second trimester, but she just wished that it would stop completely. She loved being pregnant and the fact that it was John's baby was a plus, too, but the constant throwing up was finally beginning to get to her.

When she felt that she wasn't going to throw up anymore, she stood up and flushed the toilet. She moved to her sink and washed her hands, drying them in the hand towel that was hanging on the small railing beside it. She picked up her toothbrush and squeezed some toothpaste on it, wetting it before she began brushing her teeth as she tried to get rid of the horrible taste out of her mouth.

She spat it out and then rinsed her mouth out, smiling when she heard the front door to the apartment open and shut. John was home. Her smile got bigger as she hastily made her way out of the bathroom and into her room. She was really excited to see John, even though he had only been gone for about an hour. Strangely enough, she found that if John was gone longer than thirty minutes, she would find herself becoming extremely anxious, even more so since she had gotten pregnant. It had always felt strange… wrong even, to be away from John for long periods of time, but it was tolerable because she knew she had something to look forward to at the end of every day when she got to go home with him. Now though, she hated being away from him. She had to be near him, to be with him… snuggled up against him with his arms wrapped tightly around her as he held her close to him.

He made her feel so safe and she needed that, especially since she had been feeling so anxious, insecure and terrified. He made all those feelings disappear. Her anxiousness was starting to fade, but she couldn't help but worry that it was all eventually going to come crashing down on her, crushing her.

Shaking her head clear of those thoughts, she ran out of her bedroom and up the hall where she seen John pulling off his jacket and throwing it on the chair. He gave her a small smile when he seen her. She jumped into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck when she reached him and tucked her head just under his chin. John wrapped his arms around her waist and slightly lifted her feet off of the ground. "I missed you," she mumbled into his neck.

John chuckled, placing a kiss to the side of her head. "I was only gone an hour," he pointed out.

Elizabeth pulled back and gave him a sheepish smile. "I know… but an hour's too long." She pursed her lips. "I think I'm going to handcuff you to me." She giggled. "It's a good thing you're a cop because I know where to get them." Her hand dropped down to the small of his back and pulled the cuffs from the confines of his pants.

She held them up in front of his face and gave him a cheeky grin. John just rolled his eyes as he chuckled. He closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against hers. He took the cuffs from her as he mumbled against her lips, "these could be fun."

Elizabeth giggled as she wrapped her bare legs around John's waist. She was still in her t-shirt and panties. John secured his arms around her waist and stared into her green eyes. Elizabeth smiled and gave him a cheeky grin. "Well, we can try them out now, if you want?" She said with a hint of seduction in her tone.

"Tempting, but I promised to take you Christmas tree shopping and I keep my promises." He smirked.

"Okay, then." She sighed slightly. "We can always try them out later." She giggled as she unhooked her legs from around him.

"You're very naughty today," he whispered in her ear.

Elizabeth pulled away from him and began walking towards their room all the while swaying her hips in a very provocative fashion. Walking back into their room, Elizabeth walked over to the bed and picked up her clothes she had on her earlier and began to pull them on her.

She was excited about going Christmas tree shopping with John. It was their first Christmas together as a couple and of course with a baby on the way.

**~xoXox~**

John held on tightly to Elizabeth's hand as they walked through the crowded mall. He made sure to keep her close, trying to keep her safe from the rushing shoppers who were trying to get most of their Christmas shopping done. He looked at her, smiling slightly as she gazed in awe at all of the decorations that were surrounding the huge mall. He couldn't deny that she was absolutely glowing. Pregnancy really suited her.

He couldn't help but let his hazel eyes drop to her barely there bump, even though it was buried beneath a bundle of clothes to keep her warm. His smile got even bigger. He couldn't wait till she started to show more. He wanted to be able to feel their baby move inside of her, to feel it kick. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the sex, though. It was a decision that the both of them still had to make, one he was sure that would make them happy regardless of whether they knew or not. Well, they had another few weeks to decide.

Unhooking his hand from Elizabeth's, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. She looked up at him and gave him a dazzling smile. He kissed her forehead, breathing in her intoxicating scent. "So," he mumbled into her curls. "Do you want a real tree or a fake one?" He questioned.

Elizabeth smiled slightly and John knew she was thinking about it. She looked so adorable when she was lost in her thoughts. She truly was the most enchanting… beautiful woman he had ever met and he was glad that she was his. "I think a fake one will do this year. We can always use it again next year," she pointed out, bringing him out of his thoughts.

John smirked. "I like your reasoning." He ran his hand up and down her side, letting it slyly slip around her waist to rest over her tiny bump.

She giggled slightly. "I knew you would." John just rolled his eyes.

Yes, he seemed to agree with everything she said. "And why is that?" He smirked.

"Because you love me," she replied in a slightly mocking manner.

John's eyes went slightly wide in excitement. "Hmm, maybe I do love you." He smiled as he lightly tickled her, causing her to burst out laughing and pull away from him.

"John!" She laughed some more as he pulled her back to him.

"Just wait till tonight," he whispered in her ear.

Elizabeth giggled some more. "Let's hurry up and get this Christmas tree!" She exclaimed as she began dragging him through the mall.

John just laughed at her excitement. He could tell this was going to be a good Christmas.

**~xoXox~**

John watched as Elizabeth plopped down on the couch, sighing. It was one of content and relief. He smiled when she let out a yawn and ran a hand over her tiny bump. He continued to watch as she looked down towards her slightly rounded stomach, smiling. He couldn't help but think that it was a picture perfect moment. A sneaky idea popping into his head, he quietly pulled his IPhone out of his pocket and snapped a picture of Elizabeth. When he had taken it, he looked at it and smiled. It was perfect. It was one that he was definitely getting developed. He then set it as his screen saver.

Taking his eyes away from his girlfriend for a moment, he looked to the beautiful tree they had just finished decorating. He couldn't deny that they had done a fantastic job. It made their apartment feel more Christmassy; maybe even a little homier. The colourful lights, the tinsel, the pretty little baubles, the star on top, all gave it that little bit extra. Elizabeth had also managed to stick pictures onto the tree. One was of the two of them. It was shortly after they had first met and they had their arms wrapped around each other, smiling. The second was of their first scan of the baby. He continued to look at it. He still sometimes couldn't believe that something so tiny was inside of Elizabeth. They were some of his favourite pictures.

Then, they had decorated around the apartment a little bit. Some tinsel stuck to the walls, little trinkets and candles here and there and the manger in the window with all the tiny statues laid out perfectly.

He knew this is what spending Christmas with the one you loved was supposed to feel like – Happy, joyful… exciting. He just couldn't wait till their baby was born, so they could share it with him or her.

"Get a good one, did you?" Her voice popped his reverie.

Turning his attention back to her, he gave her a slightly confused look. "Huh?" Was his only answer.

Elizabeth just smiled as she looked to the object he was holding in his hand. "Did you get a good picture?"

His gaze dropped to his phone and then moved back to her. "Perfect," he smiled.

Elizabeth giggled slightly and patted the spot beside her, silently asking him to sit down. John didn't need to be asked twice; in fact he didn't need to be asked once. Just as long as he could be by her side and hold her in his arms, he would be happy. Smiling, he moved over to the couch and sat down beside her, slipping his arm around her. Elizabeth let out a sigh of content as she snuggled up against him. "So, what're we watching?" He asked curiously.

Elizabeth titled her head and looked up at him. "'It's a Wonderful Life' starts in five minutes. Do you wanna watch that?" She asked curiously as she dropped her gaze away from his and fingered his shirt. "Because… it's one of my favourite movies," she said softly as she returned her gaze to his and gave him the puppy dog face.

John chuckled slightly at her persuasiveness. He wasn't really into really old movies and it was probably that dislike of them that had factored into him actually never watching, 'It's a Wonderful Life,' but if Elizabeth wanted to watch it, then so would he. Besides, he never knew, he might actually like it. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Sure, why not," he smiled. "What channel is it on?" He spoke softly.

Elizabeth giggled slightly. "It's already on the channel." She giggled some more when John chuckled. She knew he would say 'yes.' It was a wonder to him why she even asked anymore because he would always say 'yes.' He could never deny her anything. He groaned slightly when she pulled away and stood up. "I'm just gonna go get on my pyjamas." She smiled.

"No, don't go," he whined slightly. "Stay here. You can take off all your clothes and sit here naked for all I care. _Really,_ I don't mind." He tried his own method of persuasion, but sadly he didn't think it was working.

Elizabeth gave him a flirtatious smile. "Tempting, but no." She began walking towards their room. "I'll only be a minute," she pointed out.

John nodded as he lay down on the couch, letting out a tired sigh as he kicked off his shoes. For some reason he was feeling extremely tired. Maybe it was all the stress and worry finally coming down on top of him, he didn't know. Maybe that was a good thing, though? Maybe his tiredness now would give him a peaceful, dreamless sleep where he could just relax and rest.

He looked up to Elizabeth when she came back out. She had on a pair of pyjama pants with a matching, long sleeved, button up top. She also had a blanket in her hands. Scooting further back on the couch, he held up one arm as he waited for Elizabeth to lie down. She sat down and threw the blanket over the both of them then lay down on her side. John wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him, so her back was pressed against his chest and so she wasn't too near the edge of the couch. Her head rested just under his chin. He smiled when she linked her fingers with his and rested both of their hands just below her chest. She snuggled against him even more when the movie began to start.

They lay there together in silent content and just watched the movie, enjoying every moment of it. John found that he was enjoying it, too, but he found it was hard to pay attention to it after a while because he could barely keep his eyes open.

When they were half way through the movie, John noticed that Elizabeth had fallen asleep. Grabbing the remote off the back of the couch, where he had left it earlier, he turned off the television and then put the remote back in its previous spot. When he was satisfied, he snuggled up against her and held her close to him, smiling as he closed his eyes. He listened to her soft breathing and it helped lull him into a peaceful night's slumber.

**~xoXox~**

"Answer it already." She groaned when she heard John's phone ringing. She could never understand why he had to have the ringtone so loud, but he claimed he couldn't hear it when it was turned down low. All she did know was that it was beyond annoying when it rang in the middle of the night.

"I'm sorry, babe." He kissed the back of her head as he answered his phone. "Hello?" He mumbled into the receiver.

When Elizabeth sat up, John's other hand dropped from where it had been resting under her head to rest on her hip. Sighing slightly, she stretched as she tried to loosen up her stiff muscles. She hated sleeping on the couch. It always made her body feel stiff and sore. It had been a habit that she had tried to break ever since she had gotten a job working as a medical examiner. Some nights when she had worked really late, she would just come home and collapse down on the couch and fall asleep. She had tried to refrain from doing that, ever since she had found out she was pregnant, though. John was also another reason for her to go to bed at night.

John's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "I'll be there soon," he said.

Elizabeth turned slightly and looked down at him, watching as he hung up his phone and threw it in his pocket. "Precinct?" She asked knowingly.

John nodded. "Yeah, they found, Mike Williams and they're bringing him to the precinct now. O'Neill wants me and, Ronon to do the interrogating," he said as he ran his hand along her hip and down onto her leg.

Elizabeth smiled. "Well, you better get ready then." She patted his arm as she got up off of the couch.

"What time do you have to be in work at?" He asked curiously.

Stopping, she turned back towards him and gave him a small smile. "Ten, but I'm only in half a day. Then, I'm off till after New Year's," she exclaimed excitedly.

"I don't get off till next week." He gave her a beaming smile.

Elizabeth gave him a smile, but then frowned, feeling slightly confused. "Wait, I thought you didn't really get Christmas holidays. I thought you got off the day before Christmas Eve and then had to go back two days after Christmas?" She asked curiously.

She watched as John got up off the couch and walked towards her with the smile still plastered on his handsome face. "Well, I asked for leave." He stopped in front of her. "I didn't want to work over Christmas because I wanted to spend it with you. I really want to do things properly, 'Lizabeth." He gently gripped her hands. "Starting from now, I'm starting a new family tradition. One that's gonna see me spending Christmas every year with you and our baby." One of his hands moved to rest on her slightly rounded stomach.

Elizabeth felt her eyes well up with tears. Slipping her arms around his neck, she hugged him close as she buried her head against his shoulder. "Damn hormones," she mumbled into the crook of his neck.

John chuckled as he slipped one arm around her waist and let the other travel down her back and rest on her bottom. "So… I take it you're happy?" He asked curiously, but Elizabeth could sense the amusement in his voice.

"Of course I am." She kissed the side of his neck. Pulling back, she looked into his hazel eyes as she sniffled. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. "You should get ready for work." She pulled back and gave him a smile as she dried her eyes. "God, I feel like an emotional wreck." She laughed lightly.

John gave her a smile. "Maybe so, but you're my emotional wreck." He kissed her once more.

Elizabeth smiled against his mouth. "Get ready for work," she said once again. "Right, I have to pee." She gave him a smile as she began walking down the hall towards the bathroom. Walking into the bathroom, she went over to the toilet.

When she finished using the toilet, she flushed it and then went to wash her hands. Walking out of the bathroom, she walked up the hall slightly and into her bedroom. She smiled when she heard the shower running. Walking into the bathroom that was adjoined to their bedroom, she decided to brush her teeth and have that done before she got a shower and got ready for work.

After she had brushed her teeth, she got a sneaky idea and began stripping off her clothes. Moving the shower curtain slightly, she stepped into the bathtub and moved up behind John and slipped her arms around his waist, pressing her body up against his. She rested her head against his back as some of the water wet her skin. "No point in letting the water go to waste." She giggled.

John chuckled as he turned around and wrapped his arms around her. "Makes sense," he leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss.

She smiled against his mouth as she wrapped her arms around his waist tighter and pressed her body flush up against his.

She was in heaven.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	15. Chapter 15

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**Chapter Fifteen**

"You're scum!" John shouted, banging his fists off the metal table. The smug looking Mike Williams jumped back in his seat a little. John smiled inwardly. He was making him afraid. _Good! _He thought. John could feel his anger reaching boiling point as Mike Williams sat there with a smirk on his face, a smirk that John just wanted to smack off.

The red head leaned forward in his chair. "I'll say it again. I did not rape or murder anyone." He spat out.

He must have honestly thought that he was going to get away with three counts of rape and murder. There was no way and he was insane if he thought so, too. He was going away for life. They had enough evidence to bring him to trial. All John really wanted was a confession and an answer to why he had done it. Of course things are never easy.

Standing back up, John crossed his arms and glared at the scum sitting in front of him. "Oh really? Well, the forensics say otherwise. They put you at, Maggie's, Sarah's and Cassie's apartments. You raped three innocent women and murdered them. One of them was only seventeen you sick bastard."

Mike let out a laugh. "So naive at that age, aren't they?" He winked.

That sent John over the edge. Something in him snapped and before he knew it, he had Mike Williams up by the throat and pinned against the wall. "What did you say?" He asked through gritted teeth. His face was red with anger. He felt like snapping this man's neck right now, but he knew he couldn't. He never lost his temper at a perp. He always tried to stay calm, but there was something different about this piece of scum. Maybe it was the fact that they had been after him for so long. John just couldn't wait to close this case.

"Sheppard!" It was Ronon's voice calling him.

He turned his head towards him when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Letting go of Mike Williams' throat, John nodded and moved back over to where he had been standing before he had completely lost it.

"Did… you… see… that?" Williams coughed. "I want him brought up on assault charges."

"Sit down, Mister Williams and shut up," Ronon ordered him.

John let Ronon take the lead for a while. If he had to speak to him right now, he knew he would just lose his cool. He was finding it hard enough as it was to be in the same room as him without trying to strangle him again. Anyway, he knew that Ronon could handle this perp just as well as he could.

Mike sat down in his seat he had been previously occupying and glared at Ronon. "I did nothing wrong!" He stated firmly, trying to make them believe he was innocent, but they knew otherwise.

They were far from stupid and they knew he did it. The evidence proved it. They would either get a confession and this would all be over or they would have to go to trial. John feared that it would go to trial. It would be much better for the victim's families if he just confessed to it. They would finally have closure and they wouldn't be forced to sit through a trial.

"Give it up, Williams. We have your DNA. You're going away for life." Ronon smirked. John knew Williams wouldn't be happy about that.

Mikes face dropped a little. Just as he was about to open his mouth, someone walked through the door. John turned his head towards the person who entered. It was a middle aged man with black hair with grey going through it. He was tall, but not as tall as John. He was in a black suit. John didn't need to be told who this was, he already knew.

"Don't answer any more questions, Mister Williams unless I tell you to." The lawyer walked over and sat down beside Mister Williams. When he sat down he looked up towards John and Ronon. "I'm Jacob Weatherly, Mister Williams' attorney. Now, may I ask what my client is being charged with?"

Ronon threw a file on the table. "Three counts of rape and murder. Oh… and burglary. I almost forgot that." He let out a small chuckle.

"That's bull," Mike shouted. "I did no such thing."

"Calm down, Mister Williams." His lawyer, Jacob Weatherly, urged him.

"So Mister Williams, are you ready to give a confession?" Ronon asked the perp.

"For something I didn't do." He looked offended by the question.

John stepped forward. "Don't even try to play that game, Williams. You're going to jail for the rest of your life. No matter which way you play it, the evidence proves that you were in their apartments. We found your DNA on the victim's and your DNA you left when you strangled all three of them with their bras."

"That's absurd."

"Is there a deal in place?" His lawyer asked curiously.

Steven Caldwell walked in and John watched as he began talking to Mike Williams. "The D.A is willing to offer life in prison without the possibility of parole," he said with a calm expression on his face.

"I won't be out until I'm old!" He exclaimed. "Besides, I didn't do anything."

"I guess we'll be seeing you at trial then, Mister Williams – I will be seeking the death penalty."

"On what grounds?" His lawyer jumped up, none too pleased about what he was hearing.

"For the brutal rape and murder of three innocent women and one of them was his girlfriend!" He exclaimed.

"It won't stand!" He looked at him.

Caldwell shrugged. "I'll take my chances. Good day, Mister Williams," he said before turning to walk out of the interrogation room. When Ronon spoke, he stopped.

"Listen to your lawyer and take the deal the D.A has offered you." Ronon stood in front of the metal table."

"It is a good deal, Mister Williams. I don't like taking chances with the jury, especially when three young women were attacked." His lawyer tried to convince him.

Mike wasn't having it. He put up his hand to stop him. "I didn't do anything, so I'm not confessing." He was denying it point blank.

John rubbed his eyes. This loser was in total denial. They had hard evidence against him that proved he did it and no matter how many times he was told so, he believed otherwise. He thought he could get away with it. Caldwell had given him a good deal, too, life in prison without the possibility of parole. If it went to trial he would be facing the death penalty.

"Fine! Have it your way," John said as he left the room.

He sighed as he watched the other two come out of the interrogation room. "What a loser," he growled. "I can't believe he's trying to deny it."

Caldwell nodded. "I know, but if he wants to take his chances with the jury, then let him. I wasn't joking when I said I was seeking the death penalty," he pointed out.

John nodded. "I know," he muttered. Sighing, he walked back out to his desk and sat down. He started to do some paperwork, trying to take his mind off of the scum who was sitting in the interrogation room.

It really pissed him off every time they had hard evidence on a perp and then they would try and deny it. He usually tried to stay calm and collected around those types of perps, but he was actually a little surprised that he had snapped at Mike Williams today. He wasn't really sure why he had done it. Whether it was the fact they had been after him for so long or whether it was because of Elizabeth and their baby and if they were in that position of trying to get justice for their child. He didn't know, but maybe it was both possibilities.

Shaking his head, he tried to clear it of his frustrating thoughts. He thought about what he could get Elizabeth for Christmas. Every time he had asked what she had wanted, she would just shrug her shoulders and tell him she didn't know. He already had one of her Christmas presents, but he wanted to get her something she would really like. He sighed slightly. Maybe he could get her something for the baby? They were already starting to pick up a few bits for the baby.

All of a sudden his eyes went wide, a light bulb clicking on in his head. He had the perfect idea. "Perfect!" He exclaimed, not realising how loud it was. Getting up from his chair, he grabbed his jacket and threw it on him.

Ronon just looked at him. "Where are you going?" He asked curiously.

John looked at him. "I have to do something. Tell O'Neill, I'll be back in thirty minutes," he said as he walked out of the bullpen.

A small smile graced his lips. This was going to be so fun, but he wondered how he was going to keep Elizabeth from finding out. He would probably have to ask Teyla to take her out for a day.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth stood in the queue beside Teyla. They were waiting for the person in front of them to finish what they were ordering, so they could order their lunch. "So, what's John getting you for Christmas?" Teyla asked curiously.

Elizabeth looked to her friend and gave her a small smile. "I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders.

Teyla laughed lightly. "You mean, you haven't gone snooping?" She looked at her with a big smile.

Elizabeth just laughed a little. "He keeps asking me what I want, but I keep telling him I don't know." Honestly, she really didn't know what she wanted for Christmas. She already had everything she wanted – John, the baby, a home… a family.

They moved to stand in front of the counter and Teyla ordered what they wanted before speaking to her again. "Can I get two chicken Caesar salads, please and two coffees, one de-cafe." She gave the young girl a small smile and paid.

"Sure, I'll bring them over when they're ready," the girl replied politely.

"Thank you," Teyla replied as the two of them began walking over to a nearby table.

"De-cafe sucks," Elizabeth scrunched up her nose at the thought of having to drink non-caffeinated coffee, but it was a price she was willing to pay.

Teyla just laughed. "Yes, but you're pregnant, so you can't have normal coffee," she said as they sat down in a booth.

Elizabeth smiled. "I know," she sighed slightly. "John caught me trying to sneak a sip of his one morning."

"What did he do?" She asked genuinely interested.

"Punished me," she muttered.

"Ooh what did he do?" She asked as she leaned across the table. "Hold off sex? Hide the chocolate? I hate when men do that." She pouted slightly.

"What? Hold off sex or hide the chocolate?" Elizabeth asked amused.

"Both," she replied. "So, what did he do?"

"Poured the coffee down the drain and made me watch. So cruel," she whined slightly. "One sip wouldn't have done any harm. Now, he only drinks tea."

"Ooh that is cruel," Teyla agreed.

The two of them continued to have an oddly interesting chat until their food and coffees arrived. Elizabeth found that she was actually enjoying lunch with Teyla. It definitely was a change from the stress and worry. She hoped she could have more days like this, where she could just forget about all the stress for a while.

"Elizabeth, can I ask you a question?" Teyla asked softly as they began eating their food.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, sure," she replied as she took a bite out of her salad. She had been craving this all morning. At least her baby wanted her to eat something healthy.

"Well… are you okay?" She asked slowly.

Elizabeth just looked at her. "Yeah, why?" She asked with a frown.

"Well… it's just that you've seemed a little stressed and tense over the last few weeks. I'm worried about you," she said softly, but her voice was filled with concern.

"Oh, you noticed that?" Elizabeth said, but it was barely a whisper.

"Yeah… is everything okay? You know you can talk to me, don't you?"

"I know. It's just that… things have been a bit… stressful ever since, Michael attacked John and me. It's not every day, but I keep getting this feeling that something bad is going to happen," she spoke truthfully.

"How come?" Teyla asked curiously.

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Michael isn't the kind of person to just let things go," she said, but her eyes went slightly wide at the realisation she had just made. Maybe it was Michael who had sent that box. Yes, he was in jail, but he could have gotten someone to do it for him. It would make perfect sense. She didn't want to make assumptions, though, so she knew she would have to talk to John about it first.

"Well, he is in jail and he won't be getting out for a very long time, so I think you can relax," her friend said softly.

"I-it's not just that. Th-there's something else," she said hesitantly. She wasn't sure if she should tell Teyla what she wanted to say, but she really needed to talk to someone and who better than her close friend.

"What is it, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth looked at her. "It concerns, John. You have to promise not to tell him."

Elizabeth seen the concerned look on Teyla's face, but she nodded. "I promise."

"Okay," she sucked in a deep breath." A-about a year ago… Michael came home really drunk and… he brought one of his friends back with him and…" she trailed off, trying to gather her wits. She couldn't believe she was about to tell someone her deepest secret. "Well… Michael hit me a few times and then…" she trailed off again, this time breaking down into tearful sobs.

Teyla slid out of her seat and slid into the seat beside Elizabeth and wrapped her arm around her and held her close. "What happened?" She asked softly.

"H-he let h-his friend… r-rape me!" She exclaimed as she buried her face into her hands and sobbed uncontrollably. She couldn't believe she was sobbing like a fool in the middle of a public place, but God, did it feel like a weight had been lifted off her chest.

She had thought about finally telling someone this morning after John had left for work, but had never thought it would be Teyla that she'd be telling.

"Elizabeth… why didn't you say something?" Teyla asked shocked.

Elizabeth looked up to her friend and dried her eyes. "I couldn't. He threatened to kill me and John if I ever told anyone. I couldn't let that happen!" She exclaimed.

"And John doesn't know?" She whispered.

Elizabeth shook her head 'no.' "No, he doesn't and it's going to stay that way. Promise me you won't tell him, Teyla?" She asked. When she didn't say anything, she asked again. "Promise me?"

Teyla nodded. "I promise, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth hugged her friend and held her close. "Thank you, Teyla," she whispered. "I will tell him, I promise. I'm going to wait till after Christmas, though. I don't want to ruin it for us." She gave her a small smile.

"Okay Elizabeth. You know I'll be here if you ever need to talk or just hang out." Teyla said as she moved back to her seat.

Drying her eyes some more, Elizabeth nodded and gave her a small smile. "I know, and thanks. You don't know how good it feels to finally have told someone."

"Well, I'll be here to support you until you decide to tell, John." Teyla smiled.

"I know," she returned her smile. Sniffling slightly, she took a bite of her salad and swallowed before taking a sip of her de-café coffee.

"I know what you could ask, John for, for Christmas," Teyla said excitedly. "A car!" She exclaimed.

Elizabeth laughed a genuine laugh and she was glad to Teyla for trying to lighten the mood. "I already have a new car, Teyla and I like it just fine," she pointed out.

"Well, maybe you could make him do something with you, that you really like, but he hates. You'll have more fun watching him trying to enjoy it." The both of them laughed.

"I made him watch, 'It's a Wonderful Life,' last night, but I think he enjoyed it." Elizabeth giggled a little. The two of them were well aware of John's dislike of old movies.

Elizabeth smiled as she and Teyla continued to talk back and forth between themselves about different things. She was so proud of herself. Today she had made progress.

She had finally opened up to a friend about her rape and she felt so relieved.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

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**Chapter Sixteen**

_One week later, December 19__th__._

"John, what are you doing in there?" Elizabeth asked through the door. Currently she was standing outside the room door to the guest room. John had locked the door and so she couldn't get in. He had been stuck in there for almost a week every day after work and then when he had gotten his Christmas holidays two days ago. It felt like he was practically camping out in there.

"I'm… putting together your Christmas present," came his voice from the other side. Elizabeth could hear banging again.

"You've been in there nearly all day every day for a week. It feels like I've barely seen you since you got off for Christmas," she whined slightly. "How big is it?" She then asked curiously. It must be massive if it was taking him a week to do.

"It's complicated to put together," he replied.

Elizabeth smiled as she leaned closer to the door. "Ooh, is it a new dressing table or a bed or a new wardrobe, preferably a bigger one, or something really cool?" She asked, now excited. She really was curious about what he had gotten her. She couldn't sneak in there, either when he wasn't around because he kept the door locked and the key with him. He never left it down.

"It's a surprise, 'Lizabeth and if I tell you it'll ruin it," he replied back, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Okay then, when will you be out?" She asked another question. "'Cause we miss you," she said referring to her and their unborn child.

"About an hour, I promise, babe," he said, chuckling.

"Fine," she grumbled as she reluctantly walked away from the door and back up the hall towards the living room. She supposed she could finish wrapping up the Christmas presents and put them under the tree. She loved it when there was a ton of presents under the tree. It made it look more Christmassy. Walking into the living room, she moved over towards the Christmas tree where she had everything laid out and ready to wrap up. Sitting down on the floor, she folded her legs under herself as she began measuring out enough wrapping paper to wrap up one of the gifts.

It was one of John's gifts. She had just gotten him a few small things because she didn't really know what to get him. He was one of the toughest people to buy for. Honestly, everything she had seen and thought he might like, turned out to be not for him. She would pick it up, look at it and then put it back. Nothing seemed right for him. She wanted to get him something special. Eventually she had found the perfect thing. She had hid it where he never looked – in with her tampons and make-up. It had worked perfectly because he had never found it.

Sighing slightly, her thoughts began drifting off to a conversation she had had with John last week. It was about Michael and her suspicions.

_Her heart_ _pounded in her chest as she neared the apartment door. She had hoped John wouldn't be home, so she would have had time to collect her thoughts about what she wanted to tell him, but she had seen his car in the parking garage, so she knew he was home. In fact, he was home extremely early. She found wondering why he was home. _

_Just as she reached the door, she shifted the shopping bags in her arms, so she could shove the key into the lock. Twisting it, she opened the door and pushed it open with her foot. When she walked in, John gave her a smile. "Hey, babe," he said as he got up off the couch and walked over towards her. She was glad when he took the bags she was carrying off of her. _

"_Thank you," she sighed in relief. They were beginning to feel kind of heavy and she was just grateful to have them out of her arms. She turned and shut the door behind her._

_John leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before heading towards the kitchen with the shopping. "Did you have a good lunch with, Teyla?" He asked curiously, looking to her as she walked beside him. _

"_Yeah, it was fun." She smiled as they walked into the kitchen. John placed the shopping bags down on the counter and began unpacking them when Elizabeth spoke to him again. "John, can we talk for a minute?" She asked softly. Her heart began pounding in her chest again as she prepared herself to tell him about Michael and her suspicions. She wasn't sure he would believe her, but she had to try. Didn't she? She had to say something to him. What if it turned out to be extremely important?_

_John looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course. What do you wanna talk about?" He returned his attention back to unpacking the shopping._

_She let a small sigh pass her lips. _Here it goes,_ she thought somewhat reassuringly to herself. "Well… do you remember the box that was left here a couple of weeks ago?" She started off slowly._

_Stopping what he was doing, he turned and looked at her, giving her a curious stare. He was probably wondering why she was bringing it up. They hadn't talked about it in weeks. "Yeah," he said slowly, unsure._

"_Well, I kind of have a theory about who sent it."_

_John just looked at her for a moment. "Okay… who do you think it was?" He asked curiously, clearly trying not to upset her._

"_Michael," she came straight out with it. Now, it was finally out of her mouth. Now she was wondering what John was thinking. He was just staring at her. She didn't know whether that was a good or a bad thing. She just prayed that he didn't think she was stupid or get upset for bringing up Michael's name. They hadn't really talked about him since they had been in the hospital after their attack._

"_Michael?" He said once again, making sure he had heard correct. _

_Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, it would make perfect sense. You know he's not the type of person to just let things go."_

"_But-" She cut him off before he could protest. She had to get this all out now._

"_And I know he's in jail, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't have gotten someone else to do it for him." She finished. It seemed plausible to her, so why couldn't it seem plausible to John? Of course she was a damaged woman. Maybe he would think she was finally losing her mind._

_She continued to look at him and she noticed that his eyes had slightly widened. Maybe that was a good thing, though. Maybe he was really taking what she had said into consideration. She could only hope. "H-how did you… come up with this?" He asked softly, but slowly. _

_Elizabeth paused for a moment. She had to think of an answer quick. She couldn't let him know that she talked to Teyla about her rape before she had even told him. "It was just something, Teyla said." She shrugged it off, saying it as if it was nothing._

_John just looked at her. "So… she knows about it then?" He asked curiously and she couldn't tell if he was upset, angry or what._

"_No, no, she was just… uh… talking about something and I guess it just clicked in my head." She replied, hoping he would believe her lie. She hated lying to him. It was one of the worst things a person could do to someone they loved, but she was doing this to protect him… or was she? She thought for a moment._

_Yes… yes she was doing it to protect him. Of course she was. It wasn't as if she didn't trust him. She just didn't want to hurt him, but she knew she would have to tell him eventually. She had promised herself that she was going to tell him after Christmas and she was sticking to that promise. He had a right to know if they were going to be together and she knew there was no way she was leaving him. He was stuck with her now and forever._

"_Okay," he said finally, locking eyes with her._

"_Okay?" She questioned. Was he really agreeing with her about this?_

_John gave her a small smile and slipped his arms around her waist. "Yeah, okay," he smiled. "I guess it kind of does make sense. I'll have a look into it, okay?" He asked and reassured her._

_Elizabeth nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close. "Okay," she agreed. "Thank you for believing me, John," she whispered in his ear. She felt relieved and happy that he didn't think she was insane or just paranoid. It also felt like another weight had been lifted. _

"_Always, babe," he whispered soothingly as he placed a warm kiss to the side of her neck._

"_Elizabeth, is there anything else, Michael ever did to you that you haven't told me?" He asked curiously as he held her close._

_Elizabeth's eyes went wide and she was glad her face was buried in his neck. "No," she lied again, hoping it sounded believable. She couldn't help but think of what a good liar she had become over the last year. She had even managed to fool John and that was not something she took pride in. In fact, it just about killed her._

_He kissed her neck again. "I love you." He whispered._

"_I love you, too, John," she whispered, pouring all the love she felt for him into it._

Elizabeth came out of her thoughts when she felt a pair of warm arms wrap around her. She leaned back into his chest, relishing how near he was to her. "All done?" He whispered, kissing the side of her head.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded as she moved away from him and began placing the wrapped presents under the tree. "All done," she replied. Standing up, she turned to face him and gave him a smile. "So, are you finally finished?" She asked curiously. She knew she wouldn't be able to stand it if he was locked in that damn room any longer. She probably would have gone insane.

John just chuckled. "Yes, all done," he said as he walked closer to her and gently cupped her face in both hands. He pressed his lips against hers and gave her a sweet kiss before bending down to raise her shirt a little. He pressed a warm kiss to her slightly rounded stomach, whispering, "sorry I was in there so long." He chuckled as he gently caressed her tummy as he moved back up to look into her green eyes.

Elizabeth giggled as she kissed him again. "You're forgiven and baby agrees, too." She gently caressed her stomach. She kissed him once more before pulling back, but she kept her arms locked around his neck. "So, are you gonna give me a sneak peek at my present?" She asked curiously, pouting slightly.

John chuckled. "Nope."

"Not even a hint?"

"Nope," he chuckled some more. "You're gonna have to wait till Christmas day."

"Oh, but that's so long away," she pouted.

"It's only a week away," he pointed out.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck tighter. "And, that's long," she pointed out, too.

"You know, ever since you've gotten pregnant… you're a lot weirder," he said highly amused.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"I don't know yet," he frowned slightly as he seemed to think about it.

"Hey!" She exclaimed as she poked his side.

John just chuckled. "I'm just playin' with you."

"Mmhm," she squinted up at him. John just laughed and kissed her.

"I love you, baby," he softly murmured against her luscious lips.

"I love you, too."

**~xoXox~**

_December 24__th__._

He once again found himself walking down the familiar hall he had previously walked a few weeks ago. He was getting a rush just from visiting the place. Oh, how he longed to do more, but he was forbidden to… for now.

His gloved hands shook in anticipation as he held the envelope between his fingers. He knew he had been careful, but he was surprised that they hadn't figured out who he was yet or who was even orchestrating the whole thing. That fact gave him an even bigger rush. He could do anything he wanted and get away with it.

He knew he must try it sometime, try something different that didn't involve his boss, the Detective or the Medical Examiner. No, he was ready to go out on his own and reap what he had earned – the right to have any woman he wanted whether they said no or not and that was for damn sure!

A cruel smile crossed his dried, cracked lips as he stopped in front of their apartment door. Looking to the envelope he held in his hands, he lifted it up and stuck it to the apartment door. Once he made sure that it was stuck there and wasn't going anywhere, he turned and began walking back down the hall towards the elevators.

Things were going to get even more interesting in the next couple of weeks. Oh, yes… they were.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth felt giddy as she practically skipped up the hall towards her apartment. It was finally Christmas Eve, one of her favourite days of the year. This Christmas was going to be even better, though because it was her and John's first Christmas together as a couple, plus they were expecting their first child. Even with all her stress and worries, she knew that this was one of the best moments in her life and she wouldn't change it for the world.

When she reached her apartment door, she frowned as she seen something stuck to it. It was a manila envelope that had John's name on it. She found it kind of strange and odd that somebody would stick an envelope to the door, but maybe it was important since it was for John.

Shrugging her shoulders, she pulled it off the door and then shoved her key into the lock and opened it. Pushing open the door, she walked in and shut it behind her. She threw her keys and the envelope down on the table just inside the door, immediately forgetting about them as she heard soft music playing throughout the apartment.

She smiled. John definitely had something up his sleeve.

**~xoXox~**

John hesitantly walked across the living room floor towards the table that was just inside of the door. His heart began slightly racing in his chest and he was glad that Elizabeth was in the kitchen chopping the rest of the vegetables. He didn't want her to see him looking so afraid and nervous. He felt his hands begin to shake slightly as he neared the table and he wished he could calm himself down, but it was hard, especially when he had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The feeling was stemming from his past experiences with mysterious objects, but more importantly… a mysterious envelope. He had been in the kitchen chopping vegetables, making Elizabeth a romantic dinner when she had come in. At first she had seemed okay… happy even. There didn't seem to be anything strange or upsetting about their family moment. That was until about ten minutes after she had come home, she had told him that there had been an envelope stuck to their apartment door that had been addressed to him.

His heart had immediately constricted in his chest and he'd felt like he couldn't breathe. He had quietly walked out of the kitchen and left Elizabeth to go about her business. He didn't want to upset her. That had been about a minute ago and what a long minute it had been. Time seemed to slow down as he made his way towards the table. It was almost as if he couldn't get there fast enough, but at the same time, it was like something was holding him back, not letting him reach his destination.

It was almost unfathomable to him that while he had been in the apartment, the sick bastard he was looking for had been right outside the door… sticking an envelope to it and he had never even noticed. Instead, Elizabeth had found it and he was unbelievably thankful that she hadn't looked in it. He knew not that she ever would because it was addressed to him.

When he reached the table, he stopped and stared down at the envelope. It was as clear as day to him. Everything around it seemed to fade away and that was the only thing left. His name was written out the exact same way it had been on the other envelope. He knew then that it was the same person. He felt himself grow angry. This person was seriously screwing with him and he found that it was pissing him off more than he could have ever imagined.

He knew who was setting it all up. It was Michael! A week ago Elizabeth had come to him with a theory about who had left that box for her outside their apartment door. At first he had been extremely curious and cautious about where she had been taking the conversation and when she had said Michael's name, he had been shocked. He hadn't expected that and for a second he had found himself doubting her theory, but when she had explained how it had come about, everything just seemed to fall into the place. All the connections seemed to make sense. He knew Michael hated them and that was a damn good reason for him to be behind it all, but the only question he was left with was, who was the other person? Who was the one that was carrying out his orders?

John had promised Elizabeth that he would look into it, but he had yet to do so. If he was being honest, he was slightly terrified about what he might find. He hadn't done it yet, but he knew he had to do it. He had to see Michael and so he set his resolve and promised himself that he would do it after Christmas. He didn't want to ruin it by being unhappy and depressed. Although, the envelope showing up was already having a hand in how he felt.

Coming out of his thoughts, he picked up the envelope. The soft music playing around him seemed to be drowned out and all that he could focus on was the paper object in his hand. He wasn't sure whether to open it or not. He didn't think he wanted to see what was inside.

Turning it around, he went to open it, but he stopped. _ No, I'm not going to play his games! _He thought firmly to himself. He wasn't going to give Michael the satisfaction of ruining Christmas for him and Elizabeth, so he set his resolve and decided that he wasn't going to open the envelope. Not until after Christmas that was.

Sighing, he began walking towards his and Elizabeth's room. He would just hide it for now and try and do his best to forget about it. He knew it was going to be hard and that it would still be lurking in the back of his mind, calling him to open it.

Walking into their room, he moved his way over to his nightstand. When he reached it, he pulled open the drawer and dropped the envelope into it and began covering it over with some other items that were in the drawer. When he was done, he shut the drawer and turned and walked out of the bedroom.

He tried to calm himself down as he began walking back towards the kitchen. He tried to steer his thoughts in a more happy direction. He thought about Elizabeth and the baby. He thought about finally becoming a father and getting to meet their child for the first time. He thought about marrying Elizabeth and giving her a beautiful house, possibly even another baby sometime down the line. He wanted to give her everything she deserved and more.

Walking into the kitchen, he moved over towards Elizabeth and began trailing kisses down along her neck. He smiled when she let out a small moan. "Did you get the envelope?" She asked curiously.

John winced slightly at hearing her ask that question and he hated lying to her, but he was doing it to protect her. "Yeah, it was just ten bucks that, Ronon owed me." He said, trying to make it come across as nothing.

"Oh. It was weird that he stuck it to the door. He could have just knocked." She said offhandedly.

John chuckled slightly. "It's Ronon. His middle name is weird." He laughed some more.

Elizabeth giggled. "Yeah, I guess it does make sense for him to do something like that." She said as she continued to stir the pasta.

John smiled slightly. He was thankful that she would forget about it, thinking it was something that had Ronon written all over it.

**~xoXox~**

He winced as the doctor began wrapping his arm. "How the hell did you become a doctor?!" He snapped to the woman who was currently attending to his wounds.

The doctor just looked at him. She didn't seem to be impressed by his comment, but she ignored him nonetheless. This made him extremely angry. Did women just not know that if they ignored him, it led to a very severe punishment?

He winced again when she began wrapping the cast around his arm. He had gotten beaten up while out in the yard. He had said something to one of the members of a group and he had been attacked. _God, you say one little thing and they take it the wrong way, _he thought frustratingly to himself.

He knew he shouldn't be making enemies, but when people cheat they get what's coming to them and the guy who he had said something to, had cheated in a game of basketball. Michael smiled a cruel smile. Oh, how he was going to get him back, but first he had to deal with the bitch doctor who was currently ignoring him.

When she turned away from him for a moment, he sneakily slipped a scalpel from the tray into his hand. He looked towards the guard who was standing no less than three feet away. He appeared to be talking to another guard and so he hadn't noticed.

Gritting his teeth in anger, he sat up and plunged the scalpel into the doctor's side, causing her to scream out. "Bitch!" He screamed as the guards tackled him.

He laughed as he watched her fall to the ground and blood began to seep through her clothes.

"That's it Michael, you're goin' into solitary confinement!" One of the guards exclaimed angrily.

Michael laughed even more. Oh, it was so worth it.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	17. Chapter 17

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**Chapter Seventeen**

Elizabeth smiled as she rested her head against John's chest. She sighed in content as she listened to the soft thrumming of his heart. Her right hand was encased in his left one and the other was wrapped around his waist. John had his free hand resting on the small of her back. The two of them were gently swaying to the soft music that was playing in the background. Her smile got even bigger. It was so romantic. "Thanks for tonight, John," she softly murmured as they continued to sway to the music.

"Anytime," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head.

Unhooking her hand from his, she slipped it around his waist and held onto him tightly. John wrapped his other arm around her and rested his hand on the bottom of her back. He pressed her tight up against him and she could feel her tiny bump pressing against the front of him. Her eyes slid closed and she snuggled up against him, breathing in his intoxicating scent. "I love you," she whispered passionately. She pulled her head away from his chest John had a big smile on his face.

"I love you, too." He leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss.

At first the kiss was chaste, but then it became more passionate, more intense. She moaned as the kiss deepened. She let her hands trail down his chest, across his muscles, taking in the feeling of him. She loved how neither one of them got tired of touching the other. Although, she did sometimes wonder how he found her attractive in her current condition. It was a mystery. One that she enjoyed solving. She giggled against his lips as she pulled away from him. John frowned slightly, but she just gripped his hand and began leading him towards the bedroom.

When they walked into the room, Elizabeth shut the door and walked over towards their bed. She sat down on the edge of it and pulled her top up over her head. "Hey, I'm supposed to do that," John whined slightly, but he had a big smile on his face as he stood in front of her.

Elizabeth giggled. "I'll let you take off the rest," she said seductively.

John chuckled as he pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. "I can do that," he smirked as he gently lay her down on the bed.

He climbed on top of her and immediately began nuzzling her neck. Elizabeth let out a small moan when he began sucking on her neck. Her hands moved between them, so she could unbutton her pants. When she had them unbuttoned, John moved off of her and tugged them off and threw them to the ground. He undid his belt buckle and unzipped his pants, taking them off. Elizabeth giggled as she crawled to the middle of the bed. John hopped onto the bed eagerly and moved over to her. He climbed on top of her and began kissing her in a fiery passion.

Elizabeth moaned as their tongues collided, thrusting together in the most mind-blowing of ways. Her body tingled as he ran one of his hands down her side and lightly glided over her tiny bump. He let his hand slip under her and move up along her back, so he could unclasp her bra. He unhooked it and then pulled it off, throwing it somewhere across the room.

She moaned as John trailed kisses down along her neck and breasts. She gasped as he took one of her nipples in his mouth, letting his tongue circle around it. He started sucking on it, bringing his other hand up to massage her other breast. She smiled at how he was being so tender and gentle. He knew her breasts were sore and tender, yet his touch seemed to soothe it. She felt her body ripple with pleasure. Her breathing started to become heavy. Her hands trailed down his back, stopping when she reached the waist band to his boxers. She started pulling at them, wanting them off. John pulled back only long enough to take off his boxers and throw them to the ground.

John hooked his fingers into her black lace panties and pulled them off, leaving her lying naked underneath him. She felt John's hardness brush against her thigh as he settled between her legs. He still kissed and caressed her soft flesh. She pulled his head back up again and captured his lips. His hand trailed down her side and down along her thigh, moving to grip her bottom. He started squeezing and caressing the soft flesh beneath his hand. Elizabeth snaked her arms around his waist, pulling him closer, her breasts crushing against his chest. John moaned into her mouth. She smiled against his lips. It made her happy that she could excite him.

Her body shuddered with pleasure every time she felt his hardness brush against her. He was starting to tease her now. "John…" she whimpered. She needed to feel him, all of him. "I need you… John… please?" She begged her breathing heavy.

"Okay Elizabeth," he whispered gently.

She gasped as she felt him enter her. She moaned when he started to thrust in and out of her. Dear God, it felt so good. She loved the feeling. Her body rippled with sheer pleasure as he started to pick up his pace. She ran her hands down along his back, her nails lightly grazing his skin. "Oh God… John… oh…" she panted. She started trailing wet kisses down along his neck, sucking on his warm flesh, causing him to moan.

Shifting, she rolled the both of them over, so she was now on top. Her hands rested against his chest as she moved above him. "'Lizabeth… oh God… 'Liz'beth… you're so beautiful," John panted, moaning as she quickened her pace. Her head lolled back and she moaned as John's hands moved up along her thighs, caressing them as he went. She was amazed at how every time she made love with John, it always seemed like a whole new experience.

She continued moving above him, her inner walls clenching around him which caused him to moan. Elizabeth felt herself starting to reach the heights of pure ecstasy. She leaned down and began kissing him. John's arms slipped around her waist and held her close, the both of them moaning out.

John rolled her over onto her back again, moving above her. They moved together, their bodies were now slick with sweat, both of them moaning and groaning. Elizabeth wrapped her legs around John's waist, pulling him closer, her breasts now crushing against his chest. He groaned a little as he buried his head in her neck.

John kept moving above her, filling her body with so much pleasure that it was almost too hard to take. It felt so good. She pulled John's mouth back to hers as she could feel herself reaching her climax. A tight feeling gathered in the pit of her stomach and she screamed out his name as she reached sweet release. Not too long after, John reached his release also, moaning as he filled her with his seed. They continued kissing each other as they came down from their high.

John collapsed on top of her, both of them panting, trying to catch their breath. John moved off of her, pulling her to his chest. "Oh my God, John! That was incredible." She snuggled up against him even more.

"It was amazing," he complimented as he pulled the blankets up over them.

Elizabeth giggled slightly. "You know, if I wasn't pregnant already, I think we would have just made a baby." She ran her hand along his chest.

John chuckled. "Always the optimist," he kissed the top of her head. "I love you, 'Lizabeth."

"I love you, too." She raised her head and stared down into his hazel eyes. She leaned down and gave him a tender, loving kiss.

Resting her head back against his shoulder, she snuggled up against him even more. This was definitely one of the best Christmas' she had ever had. She just couldn't wait till tomorrow.

**~xoXox~**

John woke up sometime in the middle of the night when he heard slight moving sounds throughout the room. Rubbing his eyes, he looked to the clock and read that it was only 01:30am. He frowned slightly, wondering what or who was making that noise. His arm stretched out and he realised that Elizabeth wasn't in the bed. Sitting up as quietly as he could, he switched on his bedside lamp. The light immediately lit up the room and he could see Elizabeth kneeling on the floor completely frozen.

He noticed that she had his pants in her hands. He rolled his eyes slightly. _Impatient as ever,_ he thought amusingly to himself. Elizabeth never was one for big surprises. He was actually surprised she had even managed to last this long. He smiled even more when he noticed that she still hadn't moved. As excited as he was to show her, her big Christmas present, he wasn't about to let her have it just yet. No, he was saving that one till last, so she was just going to have to wait. He knew that was going to be impossible for her. "I can see you, you know," he said amusingly.

"No you can't," was her 'convincing' reply.

John chuckled as he kicked down the blankets and climbed out of the bed. He picked up his boxers and pulled them on. He walked over to her and knelt down behind her. "Yes, I can," he whispered as he slipped his arms around her waist. She had already gotten her pyjama's on before he had woken up it appeared. "What are you looking for?" He asked curiously, but he already knew. He also knew that she wouldn't find it because he had it hid somewhere where she would never find it.

"Uh… I was just looking for a piece of pa…per," she sighed. "Fine… you caught me," she confessed.

John chuckled. "Yes… I believe I did. Red-handed in fact," he laughed some more as he kissed the back of her head.

Elizabeth turned around to look at him and then gave him a sly smile, one John knew all too well. "You know… it is officially Christmas, so… you could give me my present," she replied in a cute, little adorable voice that he so often found so hard to resist. This time he had to resist, even though, the look she was giving him was making him want to say 'yes.'

He leaned in and lightly pecked her lips. "Not happenin'," he replied.

Elizabeth groaned slightly. "Come on, John, you're torturing me," she whined slightly.

John just smirked as he stood up and pulled her up with him. "Well then, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to torture you a little longer." He said as he led her back towards the bed.

Elizabeth just sighed as she climbed into the bed and John climbed in after her. He lay down and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, making sure he had a tight hold on her. "Fine," she grumbled, "but I'm not going back to sleep!" She stated.

John chuckled. "Fine by me, just as long as you stay put."

"Stay put. You'd think I was some sort of animal," she muttered.

John raised his head and looked down at her. "So impatient. I'm surprised you don't want to know the sex of the baby," he said as he kissed her cheek.

Elizabeth smiled. "I'm only impatient at Christmas." She turned her head slightly, so she was looking up at him. "I guess I can wait," she sighed, finally relenting.

John slightly shook his head in amusement as he leaned down and gave her a kiss. "Goodnight," he softly murmured, his hand moving to gently caress her bump.

Elizabeth yawned slightly. "Goodnight."

John rested the side of his head against the top of Elizabeth's. He breathed in, inhaling her intoxicating scent. He smiled as they snuggled up against one another. He knew he didn't have to worry about her getting back up to try and look for the key because she would be fast asleep in a few minutes.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth smiled as she looked inside the gold locket that John had given her. It held a picture of him and her. It also had a rose engraved on the front of it with a small diamond in the rose and on the back there was a little inscription. It said; _my love, my heart, my soul, my life. _He had also gotten her heart shaped diamond earrings to match. In other words, he had spoiled her way too much. There were still a few more bits under the tree for her. She didn't dare touch them, though. She wanted to give John his two gifts she had gotten him. She had gotten him a few more small bits, but they were less important than the ones that she wanted to give him now.

She smiled as she handed him a small rectangular box. "Here you go," she said softly. She just hoped he liked it.

John gave her a smile. "Thanks babe," he said as he began ripping open the wrapping paper. Elizabeth felt slightly giddy from anticipation. When he flipped open the lid, she let out a small sigh of relief when she seen his smile get bigger. "How did you know?" He asked softly as he turned the box towards her, showing the watch she had gotten him.

"Well, I saw you eyeing it up the time we went to the jewellery store, so I could get my watch fixed." She gave him a small smile. She knew he had wanted it and of course he had said nothing, so the next day she had went back and had gotten it for him and had it hidden from him ever since. Well, until now. "So, do you like it?" She asked curiously, but she could tell by the look on his face that he did.

"Of course I do." He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.

Elizabeth gave him a smile. "Okay, I have something else for you," she said as she reached across to the table to pick up the square shaped object. "I know how much you liked it the first time," she said a little vaguely as she handed him his next present. She didn't want to give too much away.

John gave her a smile of thanks as he began unwrapping the present. He chuckled when he saw what it was. "An IPod?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Uh, yeah… do you not like it?" She asked a little worriedly. The IPod was only one part of the present. There was something on it for him.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course I love it. I think I'm just a little bit technologically impaired to figure how to work this thing," he replied as he pulled the very modern, touch screen object out of its box.

Elizabeth giggled as she moved closer to him. "Well, I'll show you how to work it." She giggled some more. "Besides, there's something on it that I want to show you," she said as she pulled the IPod out of its box and hooked the earphones into it.

John just looked at her curiously as she put the earphones into his ear, but he didn't say anything. Turning on the IPod, she flicked through the menu until she found what she was looking for. Hitting play, she watched John's face for his reaction.

His expression went from one of curiosity, to one of pure amazement. It was exactly the same look he had had when he had first heard it. She pressed pause and then gave him a small smile. "It's even more beautiful since the last time I heard it," he said softly. "I can't believe you have our baby's heartbeat on an IPod," he said, sounding somewhat amazed.

Elizabeth just smiled. "Well, I had it on a disc. I just copied it onto my laptop and then put it on this," she said pointing to the touch screen object. "So, do you like it then?" She asked, but she already knew he did.

"It's the best gift I've ever gotten," he said passionately.

Giving him a smile, she leaned in and gave him a loving kiss. It was definitely the best Christmas… so far.

**~xoXox~**

She felt extremely giddy as she kept her eyes closed. John was making sure that she wouldn't peek until he told her she could look. Her heart began racing with excitement as she heard the door being pushed open. "Can I look now?" She asked giddily.

John chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Not yet," he said. Elizabeth sighed slightly. He was so close that she could feel his warm breath against her neck. It made her whole body tingle. "Come on," he said as he began leading her forward.

She smiled. She couldn't wait to see what he had in the room for her. He had told her it was her big present and she had been so excited and not to mention impatient about seeing it. Now, all she had to do was be patient for two more seconds and it would finally be revealed to her.

John placed her in front of him, so they could pass through the room door. She eased back into him as he kept his hands on her shoulders. "Now you can look," he whispered in her ear.

Opening her eyes, Elizabeth had to do a double take for a moment. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She was absolutely speechless. What she was staring at was beyond amazing and the biggest surprise she had ever gotten. Well, other than finding out she was pregnant, but it was pretty close. She covered her mouth with her hand as a beaming smile crossed her beautiful features. Tears of happiness stung her eyes as she looked around the new room.

John had turned the spare room in a nursery. It was so beautiful looking. The walls were painted a light yellow with teddy bear stencils bordering the middle of the walls around the room. The curtains were also a light yellow with teddy bears on it. The walls had shelves that were lined with bears, kid's books and other baby items. She noticed that John had gotten a new wardrobe that had been placed in place of the original on the wall at the right side of the room. It was white. The dressing table was under the window on the left side of the room and it was also white. The nightstand was also white and placed beside the crib that was at the wall right across from them. The head of the crib was pushed up against the wall. The crib also had a musical mobile that was attached to it and was hovering over the middle of it.

There was a changing table against the wall just inside the door. She noticed that there were a few more bears and other things around the room that they had previously picked up for the baby. There was a rocking chair right beside the crib. Pictures lined the walls with a few on the dressing table and one on the nightstand right beside the lamp that was there. Elizabeth noticed that it was of her sitting on the couch. She was smiling while looking down at her bump while gently caressing it.

"Well, do you like it?" She was brought out of her thoughts when John spoke.

Elizabeth turned to him and gave him a beaming smile. "Of course I love it!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck. She crushed her lips against his and gave him a passionate kiss. "It's so beautiful, John," she murmured against his mouth. "How did you get it all in here?" She asked curiously. Sure she had heard him banging away in here, but she had never seen him bring anything into the room.

John chuckled. "Well when, Teyla took you out for the whole day… I got Ronon and Rodney – with a little complaining, I might add – to help get all the old stuff out and all the new stuff in." He gave her one of his boyish smiles.

Elizabeth just smirked. "You are so wonderful."

"I know," he chuckled and she just rolled her eyes.

"I love you, John," she said softly.

"I love you, too, babe." He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

Elizabeth giggled as he began nuzzling her neck. "Best Christmas ever," she said simply as she rested in his warm embrace.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	18. Chapter 18

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**Chapter Eighteen**

_Two days later._

John walked into the bullpen and over towards Ronon where he was sitting at his desk. He had to tell Ronon about the envelope. He knew at this moment in time that it would be sensible to keep Ronon in the loop about what was going on, considering he had been helping him from the start. He was hoping that he would take a trip down to Riker's with him. He wanted to go see Michael and for some reason he didn't feel like he could do it on his own. Maybe it was because he knew if he saw him, he would more than likely lose his temper, but he had to see him. He had to find out once and for all why he was doing this. Had he not hurt Elizabeth enough? Was he so psychotic that he had to ruin anything that made Elizabeth happy?

His heart almost leaped out of his chest when he thought about that. He was worried for Elizabeth, but he was also worried about their baby. Would Michael try to harm their unborn child? Did he even know she was pregnant? John doubted it, but he couldn't be sure. All he did know, though, was that when he went to see Michael, he would have to play it cool. He couldn't mention anything about Elizabeth's pregnancy. Michael could not know because then he would surely do something worse. John was not about to lose Elizabeth or their unborn child. He would rather die.

He sighed slightly as he neared Ronon's desk. Just before he decided to come over to the precinct, he had dropped the envelope and its contents over to the lab where Rodney was taking a look at it. John knew that he wouldn't find anything on it and he knew it was hopeless to get his hopes up, but he still couldn't help the feeling of hope deep down. He just wanted Rodney to find something on that God damn envelope. All this mystery stuff was pissing him off to no end. He just wanted it finished.

When he reached Ronon's desk, he looked down at his partner. Ronon didn't look up, so he cleared his throat to get his attention. "What are you doin' here, Sheppard?" He asked curiously as he looked up from his paperwork.

"I have to talk to you. It's important," he said quietly, so no one else would hear. Nobody could know his secret.

He jumped slightly when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. "Hey John, what are you doing here?" Teyla asked curiously. "I thought you weren't supposed to be back until sometime next week," she stated.

He turned and gave his friend a small smile. "I'm not back. I just came to see if, Ronon wanted to grab some lunch… while I'm waitin' on, Elizabeth," he said smoothly.

Teyla laughed lightly. "Getting more stuff for the baby?" She asked.

John chuckled. "Somethin' like that." He paused for a moment. "Nah, she just had to go down to the morgue for a few hours to get some things sorted out for her maternity leave," he said simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I thought she wasn't going on maternity leave for another five months or so?" She frowned slightly.

"No she's not. Her boss just wanted to get it sorted now… I don't know." He said as he looked back to Ronon. "So, are you comin' to lunch or what?" He asked his partner.

Ronon pushed out his chair and stood up. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. I could use something to eat anyway," he declared.

John just looked at his extremely tall partner and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you look like you're startin' to waste away," he said as they began walking out of the bullpen. He was almost as bad as Rodney when it came to food!

When they reached the elevators and stepped on, Ronon turned to John and asked him the question John had been waiting for him to ask. "What do you need to talk to me about?" He asked curiously.

John just waited until the elevator doors shut, making sure that nobody else was getting on before he talked about the envelope with Ronon. When the doors shut, he turned to his partner and began talking. "Well… I got another envelope…" he trailed off, waiting for Ronon's reaction.

"When?!" He exclaimed.

"Christmas eve," he stated simply. Ronon would probably be furious that he didn't tell him sooner, but honestly he had just been trying to forget about it over Christmas. He had wanted to enjoy it with Elizabeth. He hadn't wanted anything to ruin it and because of that, it had turned out to be the perfect Christmas, one that was definitely worth remembering.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He raised his voice slightly.

Glaring at him, he spoke to him in a stern manner. "Because I didn't even look in it until this mornin'. I threw it in my drawer and tried to forget about," he exclaimed.

"Forget about it?" Ronon asked disbelievingly. "How could you forget about it?"

"I didn't, but I didn't want to ruin Christmas. I wanted to enjoy it with, Elizabeth, so I just pushed it to the back of my mind," he stated once more.

Ronon nodded, seeming to accept his answer. "So, what was in it?" He asked curiously, but in a softer tone.

John sighed slightly as he dragged his hands over his face. "It was another piece of purple cloth with a note." His hands dropped back to his sides and he stared straight ahead. "I dropped it over to the lab before I came here, but I don't think he'll find anythin' on it," he said a little glumly.

"What did the note say?" Ronon asked.

He sighed. "All it said was, 'Somebody.'"

"Somebody? I wonder what that means." He mused to himself.

"Hell, if I know!" John exclaimed. "All I do know, though, is that I'm gettin' pissed off with all this crap and I just want it to end!" He exclaimed through gritted teeth.

"I know, man, I know." Ronon sighed. "We'll find the bastard whose doing this and he'll pay," Ronon said reassuringly.

John gave his friend a genuine smile. He would pay to see his friend take on whoever was sending the mysterious notes. "Thanks, man," he said quietly.

He didn't say anything more. He was going to wait till they were in the car and on the road, so he could tell Ronon what he really needed him for. He didn't want to ask him now. Not yet anyway. He needed to wrap his own head around the idea before he could ask Ronon. It seemed like an insane thing to do, but it had to be done. He had to see Michael.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth sighed slightly as she sat at her desk filling out some paperwork. Her boss had called her down to the office to fill out some paperwork for her maternity leave. Rolling her eyes slightly, she grumbled to herself as she scribbled notes down onto the paper. She didn't know why she was doing this now. She wasn't even going on maternity leave for another five months or so. Her boss said that she had wanted to get it sorted, though. Elizabeth guessed it made some sense. Her boss could start looking for someone to fill in for her while she was going to be absent for a few months.

She looked up when she heard a knock on her office door. "Come in," she called softly. She watched as the door slowly pushed open and her boss stepped in. A small sigh escaped her lips. She knew by the look on her bosses face that she was going to want something.

"Elizabeth, can I ask you for a favour?" Her boss asked slowly, giving her a small smile.

Elizabeth just looked at her. She guessed she didn't have any choice in the matter. Her boss was giving her a generous amount of time off for her maternity leave. She was giving her a whole year off if she wanted to take it. She wasn't sure whether she would want to take a year off away from her job, but who knows; maybe after the baby's born she might not even want to go back. "Sure Sam, what can I do for you?" She asked politely.

"Well, Doctor Samuels called in sick today and an autopsy needs to be done. I know its short notice and you're not back till next week, but would you be able to do the autopsy?" She asked, giving her an apologetic smile.

Giving her friend a smile small, she nodded her head. "Sure, I'll just have to call, John and let him know," she said as she pulled out her phone.

"Thanks Elizabeth, you're a lifesaver." Her boss exclaimed as she ran out of her office.

Elizabeth just sighed as she held her phone up to her ear, waiting for John to pick up. It looked like they're date night might have to be moved to another night. She grumbled a little bit. She had been looking forward to going to the movies with John.

She smiled when she heard his voice. _"Hey baby,"_ he said.

"Hey," she said as she began twirling a piece of her curly hair around her finger. "Look, about our date tonight…" she trailed off, not wanting to tell him that they might have to cancel it.

"_Yeah, what about it?"_ He asked curiously.

"We might have to move it to another night," she said a little glumly.

"_Oh,"_ was all he said.

Now she felt bad. "Yeah, Sam kind of cornered me about doing an autopsy. I haven't seen the body yet, so I don't know how much paperwork there'll be, but I'll try and do it really fast. I promise." She tried to sound optimistic.

"_I guess we could go to the movies tomorrow night,"_ he said.

"I'm really sorry, John," she replied, feeling upset that she had cancelled on him.

"_It's okay, baby,"_ he chuckled slightly. _"I'll see you later on,"_ he said.

Elizabeth giggled slightly. "Now, that's a date." She smiled into the receiver.

John chuckled. _"Okay, I'll talk to you later. I love you, baby," _he said lovingly.

"I love you, too," she said before hanging up.

Pushing out her chair, she stood up and walked around her desk. She might as well get the autopsy over and done with. Maybe she might be able to finish early enough, so she could go on her date with John.

She began pulling on her scrubs while thinking optimistically. She would be out of there by five and then go to the movies with John.

That sounded like a plan.

**~xoXox~**

His heart began racing slightly as he walked down the glum halls of Riker's. Ronon was right beside him. John was glad that Ronon had agreed to come with him. Honestly, he felt like he kind of needed the support right now. He felt like, that if he didn't have Ronon to talk to about this, he would be on his own. He couldn't tell Elizabeth because he didn't want to upset her. All he wanted to do was protect her and so, he could not stress her out with thoughts of them possibly having a stalker.

He shook his head slightly. Never in a million years had he ever thought that he would be leaning on Ronon. Sure he was his partner and because of that he had to trust him to have his back, but with something like this… it felt kind of different. He was having his back right now as his partner, but also as his friend. It felt kind of weird that he was sharing something so personal with Ronon. They had been partners for over ten years, but John always felt the need to keep his personal life to himself. That even meant keeping it away from his partner, but ever since he had gotten with Elizabeth, all that had been different. He seemed to be relying on him a bit more.

It was an extremely weird feeling. He was always viewed as the tough badass. The one could handle it all himself. He never really needed anything. As long as he had his job, Elizabeth and their baby, everything would be fine. Now, he found though, that he did need help. Despite what he felt about wanting to handle this on his own, he did need help. It took a lot for him to admit that and that was possibly a good thing. Once you could ask for help, life seemed to get just that little bit easier.

He was brought out of his thoughts when Ronon spoke. "So, do they know we're here to see, Michael?" He asked curiously.

John nodded. "Yeah, I called ahead. They said they would get him ready for us."

Ronon just looked at him. "What do they think we're going to do to him?" He asked curiously.

John laughed a little at his partners suspicions, but then his face turned serious. "Apparently, Michael was put into solitary confinement. He stabbed a doctor and so, he's in there indefinitely," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

He could care less that Michael was in solitary confinement, but he did feel bad that he had stabbed a poor doctor. As he had heard it, Michael had a broken arm and the doctor had been trying to fix it, when he stabbed her. The guard had told him that Michael had been rambling on about how she had ignored him and that no one got away with ignoring him. John shook his head slightly. Michael seemed to be more insane since the last time he had seen him.

John sighed slightly. He just couldn't wait to get this interview over and done with. All he wanted to do was go home and hold Elizabeth close and never let her go.

He hoped she wasn't working too late tonight. She wasn't supposed to be back till next week, but of course Elizabeth, being the nice person that she was, agreed to do an autopsy for her boss.

He was just hoping that maybe she could finish early enough and they could still go on their date.

Shaking his head clear of his thoughts, he sucked in a deep breath as the gates buzzed open. _This is it,_ he thought to himself.

He was slightly nervous, but he wasn't leaving here until he got an answer as to why Michael was doing all of this.

**~xoXox~**

That smile! That bloody smug smile! All he wanted to do was smack it off his face. He had to hold back a growl as he looked at the scum who was sitting in front of him. He hadn't even talked to him yet and already he wanted to kill him. He wasn't even sure he would be able to go a whole minute without attacking him. Right now, he was definitely glad that Ronon was with him. At least he could _try_ and hold him back.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't, Detective Sheppard," Michael said in a somewhat sly tone. He gave him a wicked grin. "Miss me?" He asked smugly.

It didn't go unnoticed by John that those two words were the exact same ones that were on the note that had been sent to Elizabeth. If he didn't know any better, he would say that Michael knew what he was here for and he was just rubbing it in his face. He sighed slightly. He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. Did he really want Michael to know that all this mystery stuff was starting to get to him?

No! He couldn't let him see that it was. He had to hold himself together and not give in to temptation. He tried to clear his head and keep it free from any thoughts that might give his emotions away. He could not let Michael win.

He glanced behind him when he heard the gates shut. There were two guards standing outside the gates, but they had their backs turned towards the steel bars. He understood why they weren't leaving Michael without some supervision. Michael was completely insane and that was probably why he was chained up like a monster. He had cuffs around his ankles and the chain was hooked to the floor. He also had cuffs around his wrists and the chain was hooked to a small hook on the table. John smiled inwardly. He enjoyed seeing Michael chained up.

Sighing slightly, he stepped closer to the table. There was no point in delaying it. He could stay there and just let his thoughts drift to how much he hated this man, but what would be the point in that. It was better to get it over and done with. He could find out what he needed to know and then leave and forget about him.

"Why are you so smug, Michael?" John asked, giving him a smirk of his own. "You're the one who's locked up like an animal." He crossed his arms and just stared at the man in front of him.

Michael just looked at him and John could see the anger and hatred in his eyes. "And whose fault is that?" He exclaimed, slamming his fisted hands against the metal table.

John just looked at Michael like he was insane. Well, he was insane. But had he really just asked that question? Shaking his head slightly, he looked straight at Michael. "Yours," he said calmly. "I'm not the one who committed a crime." His calmness towards Michael even surprised him, but if it would get him talking.

Michael just glowered at him. "Well, if that whore hadn't been cheating on me with you, I wouldn't have had to teach her… all those lessons." He said, giving John a sly smirk.

John gritted his teeth. He tried to hold back his anger, but the son-of-a-bitch was making it extremely hard. Especially since they had only begun their conversation and already he wanted to beat the crap out of him for talking about Elizabeth that way. The fact that he was practically openly admitting that he had abused Elizabeth, made John want to kill him even more. He didn't understand how someone could be so cold hearted… so soulless. He had seen enough of it during his years at SVU, but to him, Michael seemed to be the worst one. Maybe that was because he was talking about the woman that he loved.

Uncrossing his arms, he shoved his hands into his trousers pockets and tried to shrug off Michael's comment and act like it didn't bother him. Instead, he gave Michael a smug grin. "So, how does it feel to be locked up? Has anyone made your pansy ass their bitch yet?" John asked, taunting him. He knew talking like that would piss Michael off. It was a great way to get people to blurt out things they didn't mean to.

Michael growled and slammed his hands down on the metal table once again, jumping up out of his seat. "How dare you speak to me like that!" He exclaimed, shouting. John could almost see the vein in his head. It looked like it was ready to burst. When Michael realised he wasn't going anywhere, he plopped back down into his seat. He looked at John and gave him a sly grin. "There's nothing to be smug about, Detective." He laughed.

John stepped forward. "And why is that?" He asked, growling. He was fed up playing games. This was not what he came here for. He wanted answers and he wanted them now!

Pulling out a chair, he sat down in it. He leaned back into the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Ronon moved to sit in the other chair that was beside him.

Michael continued to stare at the both of them. He brought his hand up and began stroking his chin. John had no idea what he was trying to do, but all he did know was that it was pissing him off. It was probably what Michael wanted. _Come on, get it together, John,_ he thought somewhat reassuringly to himself.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Michael laugh. He leaned forward even more. "So, why are you here, Detective? Gotten fed up of the bitch already, that you need my… advice to keep her in line?" His grin grew and it appeared his ego did too.

John went to jump forward, but was stopped when Ronon put his hand on his shoulder. "You don't want to do that, John," Ronon mumbled.

John gave a reluctant nod as he sat back in his seat. He knew his partner was only looking out for him. He crossed his arms again. He figured it was the best way to restrain himself from punching Michael square in the face. "Quit playing games, Michael. You know why I'm here!" John exclaimed. He was just going to get right into it. Screw delaying it.

Michael's smirk grew bigger. "Oh, I have a fair idea, but why don't you tell me." He said in a mocking manner.

He sighed. He wasn't sure he could do this. Michael was clearly taunting him with information and John felt like he was about to fall into the trap at any moment. He would much prefer it if Michael was the one to come out and say it, but it didn't look like that was going to happen anytime soon.

Making up his mind, he leaned forward and rested his elbows against the table. Fine, he would play his games. It seemed to be the only way to get him to open his mouth. "Okay… let's start with the box," John said.

"The maggots were a nice touch, weren't they?" He let out a boisterous laugh. "Do you know what they symbolised?" He asked, looking directly at John.

John felt his anger reaching boiling point. Just being in the same room as Michael was enough to anger him. He had to hold back a growl as he spoke. "No, what?" He clenched his jaw.

"It was to show that whore, that all she'll ever be is a maggot!" He exclaimed, growling.

That was it! He couldn't take it anymore. Michael was pushing all the right buttons and was pissing him off. John jumped up out of his seat and swiftly moved towards Michael and gripped the back of his head, slamming him down against the table. John bent down, so he was right next to the scums ear. "How dare you talk about her like that!" He growled. "You never deserved her. She was too good for you and all you did was treat her like crap!" He growled again.

Michael let out a strangled laugh. "You're no better. You didn't even notice!" He exclaimed, laughing.

John felt a pang of guilt as his grip tightened around the back of Michael's neck. He still felt horrible that he had never noticed the abuse Michael had been putting Elizabeth through, but he was trying to get passed that fact. When he had first found out, the guilt had been eating him alive and over time it had started to fade, but hearing those words come out of Michael's mouth was bringing it all back again.

"You're scum, Michael and that's all you'll ever be!" John exclaimed as he stood up and let go of Michael's neck. He moved back over to his previous spot he had been standing in. He didn't feel like sitting down again. Being so close to Michael was tempting him too much. His whole body was shaking from anger and he knew he had to try and calm himself down. He was playing into Michael's hands by getting too riled up. It had to stop.

"Come on, Michael, stop playing games. We know it was you, so why don't you just tell us?" Ronon spoke and John was grateful for that. He didn't think he would be able to speak let alone get out a full sentence now.

Michael sighed. "I'm getting bored now," he said offhandedly. "Fine, I'll tell you." He said as he looked at John. John's heart just about stopped beating in his chest from the look that Michael was giving him. His eyes were filled with so much hatred, so much anger. "It's not the first two envelopes you have to be worried about, Detective."

John just looked at him. "What do you mean?" He said, but it was almost inaudible.

Michael gave him a coy smile. "It's the next!"

"What the hell does that mean?" John shouted.

"I don't feel like talking anymore." He shrugged his shoulders. "Guards," Michael called out.

"You have to tell me who's helping you!" John shouted.

Michael just smirked. "Now, that would ruin the fun… wouldn't it?" He said smugly as the guards came into the room.

John just stood there with his heart racing and his mind going a mile a minute as the guards came into the room and took Michael out.

Dragging his hands down along his face, he let out a sigh. He couldn't take this anymore. He literally felt like he was at the end of his tether. All this crap was just so stressful. All he wanted was for it to be over.

He knew now for sure, though, that he would be getting an envelope sometime in the near future and that was the one he had to worry about. John wondered was that going to be the last one. Michael had never mentioned anything else, so maybe if he was lucky enough, it would be the last one.

God, he could only hope.

**~xoXox~**

Michael stood at the phone with his arm resting against the top of it. He was allowed to make his last and final call, and then he would no longer have his privileges.

He sighed slightly as he waited for the other person to pick up the ringing phone. While he was waiting, his thoughts drifted back to the very interesting conversation he had had with Detective Sheppard. Michael smiled a cruel smile. He liked winding him up, the both of them up.

"_Hello?"_ Came the voice on the other end.

"It's me," Michael said.

"_What are you calling for?"_ He asked curiously.

Michael rolled his eyes. "Just wanted to make sure that everything was going to plan," he pointed out.

"_Yes, everything is set up. There's just one more envelope left and then everything will be ruined."_ The person laughed on the other end.

Michael laughed. "Good!" He exclaimed, but then he sighed. "Look, I'm getting bored of this, so after you send the last envelope, just forget about them. I don't want you to do anything more." He spoke into the receiver. As much as he enjoyed toying with Elizabeth, it was no fun now that Detective Sheppard was onto him. Everything he did, he knew it would be his doing, so what was the point. You can't toy with someone when they know it's you doing it.

"_What?"_ He shouted.

Michael rolled his eyes again. "Jeez, calm down. That, Detective guy is on to me. He knows it's me who's setting it up. Besides, it's no fun now that he knows and like I said… I'm getting bored. I have my eyes set on a new task." He finished with a smile. Once he got out of solitary confinement, he was going to take over the jail yard. He needed followers to carry out his dastardly plans. He would much rather do that than mess with some slut who wasn't even worth his time anymore. "You're to leave them alone," he warned. He didn't need him to do something stupid and have him blamed for it. No, then he would be up for more jail time.

He was in for thirty years already, he wasn't staying in anymore!

"_Fine!"_ He growled.

Shaking his head, he started biting on his nail. "I have to go," he said as he hung up the phone.

**~xoXox~**

_December 31__st__._

It was December 31st, the night of the annual SVU New Year's party. It was being held in some fancy hotel. Elizabeth had been looking forward to it for the last couple of weeks, but tonight for some reason, she was feeling differently about it. She wasn't even sure she wanted to go anymore. She didn't understand why she was feeling like not wanting to go anymore. She sighed slightly. It might have had something to do with the fact that she no longer felt attractive. She hadn't even been able to fit into her black dress that she just adored. She had always felt so sexy in it and she knew that John had loved it on her, too, but now it would no longer fasten up on her.

If she was being honest, she felt slightly self-conscious about her weight. She hadn't put on much weight, but it was beginning to bother her. She didn't even know why John was bringing her tonight. He didn't need her clinging onto him all night. He deserved to have some fun and not have to worry about whether his pregnant girlfriend was having fun or not. She felt like she was just going to be in the way at the party, that she wouldn't be any fun to be around.

She rolled her eyes at herself. God, all those stupid thoughts she was thinking, and all over a silly dress that she could no longer fit into. She was pregnant. Of course she wasn't going to fit into her sleek, black dress. She was going to fit into it after she had her baby, though. For now, she was going to try and enjoy her night.

She came out of her thoughts when she felt a warm hand on her leg. She looked to John and gave him a smile. "You okay, babe?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she tried to give him a reassuring smile.

"Are you sure? You seem a bit distracted," he said a little worriedly. "Do you not want to go tonight?"

Elizabeth looked at him. She loved that he was being so attentive, but she didn't want to ruin this night for him. He deserved to have some fun. "Of course I do. It's nothing – just girl problems," she said, hoping he would leave it at that, but of course he was being John and so he didn't.

"Well, maybe I can help." He gave her a smile as he slid his hand slightly further up her leg.

"It's silly really," she mumbled. "It's just that… I couldn't fit into my… black dress," she said slowly, feeling embarrassed that she was getting upset over nothing.

"Babe, you are pregnant," he said, trying to help.

Elizabeth smiled as she looked down to where his hand was resting on her leg, just under the fabric of her red dress. "I know, and I love being pregnant. I love being able show off my bump. It's just that… things got… bigger," she mumbled.

"What?" He asked, frowning.

"Well, my boobs," she muttered.

"Hey, I love your boobs!" John exclaimed.

She smirked. "Well, okay, they are nice, but what about my butt?" She looked at him.

"I love your butt, too." He pointed out.

"My waist… my hips… it's all just…" she trailed off sighing.

John turned into the hotel parking lot and drove around until he found a parking space. Once he had the car parked, he turned it off and unhooked his seatbelt. He turned to Elizabeth and gently turned her face, so she was looking at him. "'Lizabeth, you are the most beautiful person in the world. You are absolutely perfect in every way and I love you more than life itself." He gently stroked her cheek. "I don't want you to ever doubt yourself. Okay, babe?"

Elizabeth felt her eyes brim with tears at what John had just said. He always knew how to make her feel better about herself. "Okay," she whispered as John leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. "I love you, John," she said as she pulled back slightly and rested her hand against his cheek.

John gave her a loving smile. "I love you, too, babe." He kissed her once more.

**~xoXox~**

John smiled as he held Elizabeth close in the middle of the dance floor. The music was loud and everybody was dancing to the beat. Surprisingly he was enjoying his night tonight. The last couple of days had been so stressful after he had seen Michael. He had kept looking over his shoulder and wondering when he was going to get the next envelope. He was so worried about what was in it. He just prayed to God, that it wasn't too bad.

After a few days of stewing over it and with no sign of it, he figured that it was just something that Michael knew would probably piss him off. He knew it could be anything. After all, anything Michael did pissed him off. Setting his resolve about the fact that it was probably something stupid, he had pushed it to the back of his mind and got on with his life. It was hard because every now and then it would creep to the front of his mind and he would spend hours just fretting over it. Elizabeth had even become suspicious of his strange behaviour.

First it was just something as simple as putting on odd socks, but then it was burning the food, which he never did, then it was forgetting where he left things and they would be in the simplest of places. Normally those types of things wouldn't be suspicious, but when it happened to someone who's so focused and doesn't get distracted easily, that's when things start to look suspicious.

Elizabeth had asked him about it and he had just played it off as lack of sleep. Of course, then he had to come up with a clever lie and so he had just told her that he had hurt his back when he had gone for lunch with Ronon. She had asked him what had happened and he had told her he had hurt it while they had been at the batting cages. It was such a silly lie and one that he was sure that she didn't fully believe, but of course she had never pressed the matter. Though, it didn't seem to be a very smart lie because now she was barely touching him for fear of hurting him. He had to convince her that it had gotten better and that he would be able to come to the New Year's party tonight.

He came out of his thoughts when he felt her press her lips to his cheek. "What are you thinking about?" She asked curiously.

John smiled. "Just that I'm the luckiest man on earth." He said as he pulled her closer to him.

Elizabeth giggled as she slipped her arms around his neck. "I think I'm the luckiest woman on earth."

John chuckled as he ran his hand up and down her back. He was about to kiss her when Captain O'Neill stood up at the micro phone. "Okay, everybody, it's nearly New Year's so grab that special someone… or stranger and get ready," he said as everyone laughed a little.

Elizabeth turned in his arms, so her back was pressing against his chest. They watched as the ball began dropping in Times Square. Everybody immediately began shouting.

"Ten,"

"Nine,"

"Eight,"

"Seven,"

"Six,"

"Five,"

"Four,"

"Three,"

"Two,"

Elizabeth turned in his arms and gave him a smile.

"One."

"Happy New Year!" Everybody shouted and 'Auld Lang Syne' began playing.

John crushed his lips against Elizabeth's and immediately deepened it. He held her close as their tongues collided, thrusting against one another. Elizabeth moaned into his mouth and he smiled a little.

He was definitely glad that he had Elizabeth to share this night with.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	19. Chapter 19

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* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

_One week later, January 9__th__._

He stood on the streets of Manhattan, looking out over the crowd in every direction as a wave of emotions ran through him. Anger… frustration... sadness… hate. His left hand kept clenching and unclenching while a manila envelope was fiercely gripped in his right hand. His breathing was heavy and his heart was racing. The pedestrians walking along the street were looking at him like he was crazy. He sure felt crazy. Everything in that moment seemed to all come to a head… colliding into one another. This was exactly what Michael had been talking about. It had finally come.

The moment of truth was upon him and he wasn't even sure he wanted to know what was in the envelope. It was so small and flat. It easily scrunched up in his hand. He knew he had to release his grip on it. He didn't want to destroy what evidence there may be. He scoffed, rolling his eyes at himself. Evidence! What evidence? He knew there wasn't going to be any evidence. It was just going to be like the last two envelopes – complete and utter nothing!

He sighed as he turned around and walked back into the building he had just come out of. He had been lucky he had been already down at the lab. He had been dropping evidence off when a lab tech had come up to him with an envelope that had been addressed to him in her hands. It was the same envelope he was now holding.

His hand balled into a fist. He couldn't believe that the perp had been in the same building as him and he had never even noticed. As soon as he had been given the envelope, he had run through the halls of the building until he had reached the exit. He had hoped that he could have caught him, but sadly he hadn't.

He growled slightly. He had been so close yet again and again, he had failed to catch him. What did that say about him as a detective? It almost seemed that he was terrible at his job. Either that or this person was very smart and knew what he was doing. John preferred the latter. He didn't want to think of himself as a bad detective. He loved his job and he knew that he was good at it, but he was beginning to doubt himself. He kept wondering why he had never caught the son-of-a-bitch who was doing this.

It seemed like it was an impossible task and that he would never complete it. He did find something slightly comforting, though. The lab had cameras and maybe if he was lucky, they caught whoever this was on tape. Hopefully, his face was on camera. That would make everything a whole lot easier and he knew he would be able to relax a little more.

He knew he had to ask the lab tech who had given him the envelope and if she had seen the perp, if she would be able to describe his face. He just prayed to God, that she would be able to remember who he was and what he looked like.

Just before he reached the lab, he stopped. He brought his hand up and looked to the crinkled envelope. He didn't think it looked very threatening, but it was the one he had to worry about. A part of him kept wondering what was in it. He knew he had to look, but he just couldn't bring himself to dare open it. If he opened it, it would become real and then he would have to face the reality of it and he wasn't sure that it was a reality that he was going to enjoy very much.

If he was being honest, he was terrified of it. He was afraid of what he might find. He knew it could be anything, but something in his gut was telling him that it had to do with him, that it was bad.

Shaking his head clear of his rambling thoughts, he knew he had to see what was in the envelope. There was no point in delaying the inevitable.

Sucking in a deep breath, he set his resolve and pulled himself together as best as he could. Wiping the back of a shaky hand across his forehead, he dropped it and gripped the envelope, holding it in both hands. He sighed. Flipping it over, he began slowly opening the seal. His heart continued to race in his chest as the seal was broke and he pulled out a piece of paper.

Frowning, his eyes scanned over the piece of white paper, reading what it said. It said; _'Raped me._'

_What the hell does that mean?_ He thought frustratingly to himself. Flipping the piece of paper over in his hand, he noticed that there was another piece of purple cloth stuck to it, just like the last two.

Squinting, he noticed something strange on the piece of cloth. Looking closer, his breathing stopped. It was… blood. There was DNA on it. There were no words to describe how shocked he was. He had to do a double take to make sure that what he was seeing wasn't just a figment of his imagination. If you kept telling yourself that it was there, then your brain would end up believing it. Especially when it was something you would be hoping to find.

Smiling slightly, he ran into the lab and straight over to where Rodney was standing at one of the microscopes. "There's DNA!" John exclaimed.

"What?" Rodney looked up from the microscope, looking at him like he had gone insane.

John held out the paper with the cloth stuck to it. "There's blood on the cloth!" He said with a slight hint of enthusiasm in his voice. He no idea where it was stemming from. Maybe it was the little bit of hope he felt about the DNA.

Rodney just looked at him. He looked a little stunned himself. "You found blood?"

"Yeah… look!" He said as he practically shoved the evidence in his face.

Rodney took it from him. He looked closely at it. "There does seem to be a spot of blood. I'll test it, just as soon as I'm finished up here." He said while still eyeing the piece of purple cloth.

John just nodded. He guessed he couldn't ask Rodney to put that before the rest of the evidence he had to process, so he would have to wait. Honestly, that brought down his spirits just a little. Now, he would be anxious all day. "Uh… is that lab tech around? I want to ask her a few questions. Maybe… she saw whoever left the envelope here."

Rodney just looked at him. "I already asked her. She said that it was left on the counter out in the reception area. It was addressed to you and she knew you were here, so she decided to bring it to you. She said she didn't see anyone," he explained.

John nodded. "Okay, I'd still like to talk to her, though. Maybe tomorrow. Could you send the security footage from the building over to, Ronon?" He asked curiously.

Rodney nodded. "Sure," he gave him a small smile.

John just nodded as he turned around and began walking out of the lab. He felt slightly disheartened about the fact that no one had seen the perp as he entered the building. What made it even stranger was the fact that whoever it was, knew exactly where he was going to be.

It made him wonder… was he being followed. All of the evidence so far, what little they had, pointed to someone stalking him or Elizabeth or the both of them.

If he was being honest, it was kind of creeping him out.

**~xoXox~**

He leaned against the stone wall with his hands dug into the pockets of his pants. His eyes were directed towards the ground, watching as he rolled a small stone underneath his dirty boot. He smiled slightly as he listened to the bustling city going on about its business. He liked the sound of the city. It was the only thing that seemed to soothe him… to calm him.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He raised his head and looked at the young teenage boy. The teenage boy just stared at him. "Where's my two hundred bucks?" He asked, sounding slightly impatient.

He just smirked as he pulled his hand out of his pocket and handed the young boy his money. "Like promised… for a job well done." He smirked as the young boy took it and walked away.

Pushing himself away from the wall, he began to walk down the crowded street. He smirked to himself. Getting that boy to leave that envelope down at the lab had been a genius idea.

If he was going to go out, he was going out with a bang… sort of. Since Michael had ordered him to deliver the last envelope and then leave them alone, he thought it might be fun to practically place the envelope in the detective's hands.

Now that he could no longer deal with the Detective or that slut, Elizabeth Weir, he was now going to have to find something else to curb his appetite for that intense rush he always felt and needed. His smile grew even bigger. He had a whole city full of people just waiting for him.

He laughed under his breath. He already had someone in mind. She would be his first, but not his last.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth smiled when she seen John walk into the morgue. It was a nice surprise because she hadn't been expecting him. She thought he would have been stuck at the precinct all day. Obviously curiosity began to settle in. "Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked curiously as he walked closer to her.

"I was just on my way back from the lab and I thought I would drop in to get the report on the, Dawson case." He shrugged his shoulders slightly, stopping in front of her.

"Oh… yeah, it's in my office. I'll just go get it," she said softly. She frowned when John just nodded. She looked at him, trying to see if there was anything different about him. He seemed so distracted and tense. He had been like that for the last couple of days and honestly, she was starting to feel a little worried about him. She just hoped he was okay. Reaching out, she rested her hand against his arm. "You okay?" She asked softly.

He gave her a smile, but it looked forced. "Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered.

"Are you sure?"

"Mmhm," he nodded.

"It's just that you seem a bit tense," she pressed, hoping that he would tell her what was wrong with him. She just wanted him to open up to her.

"Look, Elizabeth – I'm fine!" He snapped.

Elizabeth felt her heart jump slightly in fright, her eyes going slightly wide. Had John just shouted at her? She tried not to read too much into it, but he had never yelled at her. "O-okay… I'll… just go get the report." She mumbled as she turned away from him and began walking towards her office.

She dug her hands into her doctor's coat and let her mind stew over what had just happened. She racked her brain, trying to think if she had done anything to make him angry. She couldn't recall doing anything.

Their morning had been wonderful. They had ended up making love then they had gotten in the shower… together. She smirked. That had been happening a lot lately. She wasn't complaining, though. Then they had gotten ready for work and had gone their separate ways for the day. She sighed slightly. _It's probably just the case, _she thought to herself.

Walking into her office, she walked over to her desk and stopped in front of it. Leaning over slightly, she picked up the Dawson file and a pen. Flipping it open, she leaned down as she began to write down her signature. She didn't need Captain O'Neill or her boss chewing her ass over forgetting to sign the report. It had happened once when she was just a rookie M.E and her boss had laid into her and if she was being honest, she had frightened the hell out of her. Needless to say, Elizabeth never forgot to sign her signature on a report ever again.

Closing her eyes, she slightly pressed her hand against her forehead as she got another dizzy spell. It had been happening for the last two days, along with bad headaches. She didn't know why it had started up all of sudden, but she just figured she needed new glasses. She had made an eye appointment the same day she had to go to the doctor's to get a check-up, which was in three days. She figured she could wait that long. It wasn't really too far away.

She sighed in relief when it finally disappeared.

She tensed slightly when she felt a pair of warm arms wrap around her waist, and a head rest against her shoulder. "I'm sorry, babe," he softly murmured as he pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck.

Elizabeth smiled slightly. "It's okay… no need to worry." She said gently and in reassurance. He didn't need to be worried. She wasn't mad at him.

"No… it's not. I shouldn't have snapped like that." He spoke softly.

Elizabeth turned in his arms, so she was facing him. "John, don't worry about it." She said reassuringly. Bring her hand up, she gently cupped his cheek. She leaned up and gently pressed her lips against his, giving him a sweet kiss. "You need to relax," she smiled slightly as she moved her hand to rest on the back of his neck.

John smirked. "I know," he said simply.

"How about I cook us a nice dinner tonight and then we can relax and do whatever you want." She gave him a dazzling smile.

John raised an eyebrow. "Anything?"

Elizabeth nodded, smiling when she felt his hands begin travelling down her back. "Anything," she repeated, giggling when he gripped her bottom.

John pulled her closer to him, so her body was flush against his. "I already know what I want!" He exclaimed, growling slightly as he began squeezing her rear. He leaned down and began trailing warm kisses across her jawline and down along her neck.

Elizabeth laughed slightly as she pressed her hands against his chest. "Okay, okay… easy tiger – Save it for tonight." She giggled, lightly pushing him away.

John chuckled. "Okay, just don't wear something too complicated." He kissed her before grabbing the report off of her desk.

"Don't worry… I won't," she said a little seductively as he walked out of her office. She giggled slightly as she pulled her lower lip through her teeth.

She had already had their night planned out before he had even come down to the morgue. She knew she would enjoy tonight a lot more now. Make up sex was amazing. Well, they really hadn't had a fight, but she knew John. Sex with John was always amazing no matter what.

She felt herself blushing at all the dirty thoughts she was thinking of what her and John would be getting up to tonight.

Damn, she couldn't wait!

**~xoXox~**

His eyes went wide as he just stared at the computer screen. What he was looking at couldn't be possible, but he knew it was true. The DNA matched perfectly and he had run it three times just to make sure.

He had waited until the lab had been nearly empty before he ran the DNA through the system. He didn't want anyone to see what he was working at and also, the possible victim that would appear on the screen.

The person he was looking at now, though, was someone he least expected to see on a computer screen in the lab. He felt like his eyes were playing tricks on him and that if he opened and closed them, then everything would be back to normal and he wouldn't have to keep a secret such as this. Sadly it didn't happen. When he opened his eyes, the name and picture were still up on the screen. This was not going to end well for whoever had done this.

Sighing, he pulled out his phone and pressed call on the familiar number. He held it up to his ear and waited for an answer.

"_Sheppard,"_ came his voice from the other end.

"Detective, its Rodney… you need to get down here… now!"

**~xoXox~**

He leaned his head against his apartment door. Oh God, he couldn't do this. He couldn't go in there and face her. He couldn't pretend everything was okay when it wasn't. He knew nothing would make the situation he was in any better. He knew they had to talk, but he wasn't sure that he had it in him to talk to her right now. He wasn't in a calm frame of mind. His emotions were all over the place, colliding into one another.

One emotion seemed to stand out among most, though and that was anger. He was angry. No, scratch that! He was pissed! He couldn't believe she had lied to him, especially about something so horrible… so heinous. Even after he had asked her if she had needed to tell him anything, she had still said no. He thought she loved him, but apparently she didn't love him as much as he loved her. _No, she does, John… she does,_ he tried to reassure himself, but he was finding it hard because of the emotions he was feeling right now.

He sighed. Everything about this situation was wrong. He knew it was, but somehow it seemed to make sense. All the puzzle pieces were finally fitting together, completing the jigsaw that had seemed to be plaguing him the last couple of weeks. Everything now made sense – the box… the notes… the pieces of cloth… all of it. It was just another way for Michael to ruin their lives and John felt like he was succeeding.

Shaking his head clear of his thoughts for the moment, he pulled out his key and shoved it into the lock. Twisting it, he unlocked the door and gently pushed it open. Walking into his apartment, he shut the door behind him. He threw his keys down on the table inside the door and began walking over towards the couch. He needed to sit down for a moment, think about how he was going to approach this.

When he reached the couch, he turned when he heard Elizabeth's voice. "Hey, sweetheart," she smiled. "So… what do you think?" She asked, spinning around.

John gulped slightly as he stared at her. She looked absolutely amazing. Her hair was completely down and straight, but it had some volume to it. She was wearing a red lace bra and matching panties. She had on her black silk robe that only came to mid-thigh with it opened slightly, the tie loosely knotted. It revealed some of her breasts, the perfect curve of her four month bump… everything. He couldn't help but let his eyes roam over her perfect body. He wanted to take her then and there, but something inside him was stopping him from doing so.

He locked eyes with her and immediately felt his own begin to brim with tears. He couldn't believe he was about to cry. He couldn't let her see that side of him. He was supposed to be the tough one; he was supposed to protect her. Maybe he didn't have to be angry at her. Maybe they could just talk calmly and get everything out in the open. That's what he wanted more than anything.

She gave him a small smile. "I tried on the heels with it, but they were kinda hurting my feet, so I just left them off. I think it's still effective, though." She smirked, stepping closer slightly.

_Yeah, it is,_ he thought. _No, John, you have to talk to her… now!_ He reminded himself.

He looked at her. "We need to talk."

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	20. Chapter 20

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**Chapter Twenty**

Calm… calm… calm… That's the way he had to remain. He was angry as hell, but he had to be rational about this. He had to listen to her side of the story. She probably had a plausible reason for lying to him. He felt his heart crack some more at the thought of the love of his life actually lying to him. It hurt him and all his fears about her not being able to trust him had overtaken his body once again. It was something he had worked to bury, to forget, but now it all came rushing back, like the already fragile dam had crumbled and turned to dust.

He sighed slightly as he looked to Elizabeth, who was giving him a curious stare. He could do this… he had to. Sucking in a deep breath, he walked over to her and gripped her hand, pulling her towards the couch with him. He sat down and she sat down right next to him. Elizabeth placed her slim hand on his leg. "John, is everything okay?" She asked softly, but there was worry evident in her voice.

John pulled his lower lip through his teeth, something he had never done before. Damn! He must be nervous as well. There was no doubt that he was slightly nervous. He was afraid of what her answer might be. He sighed. He went to place his hand over hers, but thought better and dropped it back to his side. He could see the confused look on her face. "No… no everything's not… okay," he said as softly as he could manage. He didn't want it to turn into a full blown argument. He was angry as hell at her, but he couldn't hurt her. He still loved her, even if she had lied.

"W-what… do you… mean?" She frowned, her brow furrowing.

"Elizabeth, why…" he sighed. "Why didn't you tell me… you were… r-ra… r-raped?" He asked, finding it hard to even say the word 'rape.'

He watched as her green eyes went wide, proof that she had been caught up in a lie. Her eyes began to brim with tears. "I-I… wha- H-how did you…" she trailed off, fumbling over her words.

"It doesn't matter how I found out. All that matters is that you lied to me!" He exclaimed more harshly than he intended to. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to reign in his anger, but it was becoming increasingly hard to do so. He had been trying to hold it back ever since Rodney had showed him the evidence and her name up on the computer screen.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, tears running down her cheeks as she averted her eyes from his.

John so badly wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her everything was going to be okay, but he couldn't. Something was stopping him from doing so. He hated to see her cry, but he was hurt, too. He couldn't tell her everything was going to be okay when it wasn't, not right now anyway. "You're… sorry?" He asked, slightly in disbelief. "Sorry isn't gonna cut it!" He snapped, yelling. His anger had finally broken free.

Elizabeth just looked at him with wide eyes. He knew why. He had never, ever shouted at her like that before. "Please, John… let me explain," she pleaded.

He jumped up off of the couch. "Explain what?! How you lied to me! How you couldn't trust me! How you just used me!" He yelled.

Elizabeth jumped up off of the couch, too and moved over to him. "John… don't talk like that, please," she begged, her voice full of tears. "I do trust you… I didn't use you," she sobbed. "How could you even think that?"

"Well, excuse me for being sceptical. Last time I checked… if you trusted someone… you're supposed to be completely honest with them!" He tried to lower his voice, but he couldn't. His frustration had soared.

"I-I… didn't wan-" He cut her off.

"Does anyone else know?" He growled. Elizabeth just looked away, almost looking shameful. "Does anyone else know, Elizabeth?!" He asked again, but with a little more force behind it than was necessary.

"T-Teyla," she mumbled.

John's jaw just dropped. He was shocked. He couldn't believe she had told Teyla before she had told him. That seemed to break his heart even more. He just looked at her. "Even after I asked you, was there anything else you needed to tell me and you said no, you told her before you told me?" He asked, but this time it came out strangled.

She looked at him, tears still streaming down her face. "I needed somebody to talk to, John!" She shouted back.

"What? You couldn't talk to me?" He shouted back in return. "Am I not good enough anymore?" He asked, but he was slightly afraid of her answer.

"Please, John… I didn't want to hurt you!" She exclaimed.

He looked at her with a sharp gaze. "Well, you already have!" He spat bitterly. "I thought you loved me!" He exclaimed.

Elizabeth clamped her hand over her mouth. He could see that she was trying to hold back another wave of tears. He felt his eyes beginning to tear up, too. "I do love you, John. More than anything… I love you with all my heart." She sobbed.

She went to wrap her arms around him, but he pushed her away. "No, you don't!" He exclaimed. "And do you know what? I don't love you either!" He shouted, his rage gone too far for him to even see reason. "No, this was all just a mistake! One big mistake!" He yelled.

"You don't mean that, John," Elizabeth shouted through her tears as he began walking towards the apartment door.

He had to get out of here. He felt like he was suffocating and all he needed was some air. "Yes, I do!" He growled.

"John… John please… don't go," she begged through her tears.

John roughly pulled open the door. "Goodbye, Elizabeth!" He exclaimed as he slammed the door behind him.

**~xoXox~**

"He left me, Teyla!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she bawled into her friends shoulder.

Teyla had her arms wrapped around Elizabeth and held her close to her. "Oh, I'm sure he didn't leave you. Maybe he just needs time to think," she said softly.

Elizabeth pulled back and looked at her friend. "H-he said he doesn't love… m-me any…m-more. Th-that it was a-all just a m-mistake." She hiccupped, sobbing. It was all her fault that he had left her and she couldn't say that she blamed him. She had lied to him. She had only done it because she had thought she had been protecting him, but the truth was she had hurt him even more by lying. He would never forgive her and she knew he wouldn't. How could she have been so stupid? "H-he'll never f-forgive m-me." She continued to sob as she leaned her head against Teyla's shoulder once again.

"Of course he will, Elizabeth. He just needs time," Teyla said softly once again.

"I can't say I blame him," she mumbled. "The silly thing is, is that I thought I was protecting him by not telling him. Michael had always told me that if I had told anyone, he would kill… J-John and I guess I was still afraid that… that might happen," she explained through tears.

"Did you tell him that, Elizabeth?" She asked.

Elizabeth shook her head 'no.' "He wouldn't let me explain. He was so angry, Teyla," she paused for a moment. "I've never seen him so angry before."

"Elizabeth… you know he doesn't mean any of it. He may be angry now, but he still loves you. You know he would do anything for you. He would die for you if he had to and trust me on that." She smiled slightly. "He never shuts up talking about you or the baby."

"I-I don't know, Teyla. I mean, I know he used to love me, but not anymore." She shook her head as she tried to get her sobbing under control.

Teyla sighed slightly. "Have you even tried calling him?" She asked curiously.

Elizabeth just looked at her like she was insane. "Of course I have. I had been calling him every thirty seconds until you came over. I can't get through to him."

Teyla pursed her lips. "I'll call him now." She said softly as she climbed off of Elizabeth's bed.

"Good luck with that! He won't answer. Either his phone is turned off and he's ignoring me or his phone is on and he's still ignoring me. Either way, he's ignoring me," she mumbled.

Teyla just looked at her. "I'll go see if I can get through to him. You just lie down. All this stress and worry is not good for you or the baby." She spoke gently.

Elizabeth watched as her friend walked out of her bedroom, leaving the door open slightly. She had called Teyla over about an hour after John had left… after she had managed to peel herself off of the floor. She was grateful for her friends support, but she still felt like crap. Her lie had ruined everything. She should have just told him in the first place.

Sobbing, she lay down under her blankets and rolled onto her side. She rested one hand on her four month bump and in the other she held her phone, just praying that John would call her. He didn't, though. Instead her many voicemails she had left him had went unanswered. She just wished that he would answer his phone, so she could talk to him. All she wanted to do was explain everything to him and tell him how much she loved him, even if he didn't return her love anymore. She knew she would always love him, even if he hated her.

She smiled slightly as she ran her hand along her swollen stomach. At least she still had a part of him with her. She had already begun to feel slight movements, but more than anything she wanted to feel her baby kick. She just wished that when it did happen, John would be there to feel it, too. She knew that he would love their baby more than anything, regardless if he loved her or not.

Sniffling, she brought her phone up towards her face and hit the call button, it immediately calling John. She knew Teyla was trying to get through to him, but she had to try, too. Holding her phone up to her ear she listened to it as it rang. She prayed that maybe this time he would pick up, but he didn't. Instead she got his voicemail. She sighed as she heard the beep instructing her to leave a message. "John… please pick up. Can't we just talk? Please?" She begged, tears running down her cheeks once again. "I'm sorry and… I love you," she said simply as she hung up. She dropped her phone back onto her bed, sniffling once again.

How could she relax? All she kept thinking about was John and how she had screwed up the best relationship she had ever had. It hurt her to think that he wasn't going to be in bed with her tonight. She wasn't going to get to feel his big, warm arms wrap around her and hold her close. She wasn't going to feel his lips softly brush across hers as he told her goodnight and how much he loved her. No, she wasn't going to feel any of that and she probably wouldn't ever again.

So, she closed her eyes and thought about the many times he had held her close, and kissed her, murmuring how much he loved her.

**~xoXox~**

He closed the door to his hotel room. Sighing, he leaned against it. He wondered how everything had gotten so screwed up. Maybe if he hadn't have confronted her about it, he would be home with her right now, instead of being here… alone.

No, he knew he had done the right thing by confronting her about it, but he had failed to control his anger and hear her side of things. Now, all he felt like was crap. His anger was gone and now all that was left was sadness.

He hadn't let her explain. Instead he had told her how much he didn't love her, how being with her was all just a big mistake. Hot, salty tears started running down his face. He had been angry at her, but as soon as he had said that, he had immediately regretted it. How could he have said that to her? He loved her with all his heart and that hadn't changed in the slightest.

Pushing her away was another thing that he regretted deeply. He just prayed that he didn't hurt her or their baby. He would never forgive himself if he had.

Sighing, he walked towards the big bed in the middle of the room. All he wanted was to have Elizabeth wrapped up in his arms, but he couldn't go back home, not yet anyway. He needed space, needed time to think. He kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the bed.

Everything had gotten so messed up in the space of a day.

**~xoXox~**

He lay on his side, tangled up in the blankets. The spare pillow was wrapped tightly in his arms. It seemed to be his only sense of comfort. The only way he could relax and let his mind clear was if he had something in his arms. Usually he would have Elizabeth wrapped up in his arms, but since he hadn't returned home last night and used a hotel instead, he found himself hugging a pillow. It was an embarrassing and weak situation, one that he would never live down if his friends ever saw him.

He sighed slightly as he rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling of his hotel room. He felt like crap. He felt so weak and tired. He had gotten barely any sleep. When he did fall asleep all he dreamt about was what he had said to Elizabeth_. "I don't love you either! No, this was all just a mistake… one big mistake!"_ It kept replaying over and over in his head like a broken record. He still felt so guilty for saying that to her. He hated himself for it. All he wanted to do was just go home and apologise to her and make sweet, sweet love to her, to show her how much he truly loved her.

He couldn't go back, though. He still needed some space. He had to clear his head and sort through some things. He didn't want to go back to her while he was feeling all these conflicting emotions.

Anger and hate ran through him like an endless river, but this time it wasn't directed towards Elizabeth. No, it was directed to the sick fuck who had raped her. Whoever had done it was going to pay, and pay big time. If only he could get his hands on Michael, then he would find out, but he couldn't. Michael was in solitary confinement and he wasn't allowed out for anything.

When he found whoever had done it to her he was going to kill them!

And that was for damn sure!

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth sluggishly walked into her bathroom. She yawned slightly as she made her way over to the shower. Turning on the shower, she waited for the water to heat up to just how she liked it. She decided to brush her teeth and get that over and done with while she was waiting. Sighing, she pulled her lower lip through her teeth as she tried to hold back another wave of tears, as she began peeling off her clothes. She sniffled as she climbed into the shower, the warm water hitting off of her skin. She felt like crap. Her eyes and nose was sore and her throat was raw. She had gotten barely any sleep during the night. Instead, she had sobbed uncontrollably into her pillow.

She had felt so cold and lonely. Without John in the bed with her, she felt completely empty. She felt completely empty right now. A strangled sob escaped her lips as she sat down in the bath tub, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She rested her head against her raised knees as hot tears flowed down her cheeks. She missed John so much. He had only been gone a night, yet it felt like it had been a lifetime since she had seen him. Maybe it was the fact that they had had a fight and he had left.

She sobbed as she felt her heart break some more. She wanted him back so bad. She just wanted to tell him how sorry she was, how much she loved him, that she would always love him.

Closing her eyes, she sat there for what seemed like forever, just thinking. She thought about the past, the present and the future. The past and present all seemed to revolve around John and how he was always there for her. The future seemed to revolve around John, her and their baby. She wasn't even sure they were together anymore, but he was still in her future. He would always be in her future, no matter what.

**~xoXox~**

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he reached out and grabbed his phone off the nightstand beside the bed. Holding the phone up to his face, he finally decided to turn it on. He wondered how many missed calls, messages or voicemails he had gotten. He watched as the screen lit up, showing that the phone was coming to life.

Once his phone was on, his eyes went slightly wide as he seen the number of voicemails he had waiting for him to listen to. There were sixty of them.

Sighing slightly, he held his phone up to his ear as he listened to the first one. It was Elizabeth and she was hysterical. _"J-John, please… please… c-can we just… talk? I l-love you, John. P-please… pick up?"_ She sobbed into the phone.

He wiped away a tear as he listened to the next one. It was Elizabeth again. _"I'm sorry. I'm s-so s-sorry. I never m-meant to hurt you. P-please… John?"_

He closed his eyes as he listened to the through the chain of voicemails that had been left. When he had gotten about half way through, he opened his eyes when he heard Teyla's voicemail. _"John, where the hell are you? Elizabeth's hysterical. You need to get back, so the two of you can talk this out!"_ She exclaimed.

Figures she would go to Teyla. He couldn't really blame her, though. He knew she would need someone to talk to and he also knew that Teyla was right. He and Elizabeth did need to talk things out… calmly.

He sighed as he listened to the next one. It was Elizabeth… again. _"John… please pick up. Can we just talk? Please?"_ There was a slight pause. _"I'm sorry and… I love you."_ She hung up.

Closing down his phone, he decided to leave the rest of the voicemails for now. He couldn't take anymore, so he decided to go get a shower. He sure could use one. Maybe it would help him relax slightly. Maybe it would wash some of his tension and frustration away… hopefully.

**~xoXox~**

Sitting down at the table, she gave her friend a weak smile as she placed some pancakes on her plate. She didn't really feel like eating, but she knew she had to keep her strength up for the baby, and plus, if she didn't eat, Teyla would more than likely force feed her. "Thanks, Teyla," she mumbled.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Her friend asked as she sat down in a chair almost across from her.

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "Fine… I guess," she mumbled as she stared down at her plate.

"Really? Because you don't look it," Teyla said, stating the obvious.

Elizabeth didn't say anything. Instead she stuck her fork into her pancake and pulled a piece off, eyeing it before she shoved it into her mouth. Her eyes began tearing up again as she chewed on her breakfast. They were her favourite – Blueberry. John would always make them for her, even in the middle of the night when she woke up craving them.

She smiled slightly as she thought about one of the many times he had made them for her. She had woken up sometime in the middle of the night feeling hungry. She had been craving blueberry pancakes and so she had decided to make them. She remembered how John had snuck up on her, pulling her into his warm embrace. He had claimed that she had woken him up from all the banging she had been doing. She had giggled at that. She had gotten frustrated because she hadn't been able to find the flour, which turned out to be behind the sugar. John had made her go back to bed, while he had made her pancakes. He had claimed she was destroying the kitchen. It had been a fun night, one that she will forever remember.

"Are you going to work today?" Teyla asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Elizabeth raised her head slightly and looked at her. "Yeah, it might help… take my mind… off some… things," she whispered.

Teyla nodded. "Do you want me to stay again tonight?"

"M-maybe… I-if John doesn't… c-come back," she said, trying to hold back her tears.

Teyla nodded. "Okay," she reached over and gently squeezed her hand.

Elizabeth was grateful that her friend was here with her. Teyla had ended up staying the night. She had listened as Elizabeth had poured her heart out and comforted her, trying to reassure her that John would be back. Elizabeth doubted that a little, but she tried to remain hopeful.

**~xoXox~**

John looked out the big glass window as he took a sip out of his coffee. He had decided to leave his hotel room after being cooped up in there for hours. He had called Captain O'Neill first, telling him that he would need some personal time off. He wasn't sure how long he was taking, but he knew it wouldn't be too long.

He rested his chin against his fisted hand as he watched the people on the outside world, just going about their daily business with not a care in the world. He saw couples walking along the streets, holding hands, laughing and kissing. He just wanted Elizabeth here with him, now.

He had come to their favourite café for coffee and every time he heard the door open, he would look, his hopes immediately rising. All he wanted was for her to walk through the door, but she never did. Instead, stranger upon stranger filed through the door. He knew she wouldn't come. Why would she want to go to a place that reminded her of him? She probably hated him anyway.

After what he had said to her, he couldn't blame her. He just wanted to beg for her forgiveness. He wasn't even sure how he would make her believe that he still loved her more than life itself and that he had only been lying when he said he hadn't.

He sighed slightly. He would make it up to her for the rest of his life if he had to. He was never letting her go and he was going to prove that to her.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth walked into her office and immediately sat down in her chair. She sat there for a moment as she tried to collect her thoughts, so she could focus on her work and not what had happened last night.

Sighing, she stood up from her desk and took off her coat, hanging it on the coat rack. She pulled out a pair of blue scrubs from one of the press drawers and immediately began pulling off her clothes. She took of her trousers first and pulled on her scrub pants. Then she pulled off her shirt and threw on her scrub top. Slipping into her crocs, she picked up a file off of her desk and began walking out of her office and into the morgue where the body of the SVU's latest victim lay.

She absentmindedly ran her hand over her bump as she wondered around the dull room, which seemed to represent her mood at this moment in time, gathering up her equipment that she would need to do the autopsy.

She tried to stay optimistic as she got to work.

Everything would be okay… hopefully.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

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**Chapter Twenty-One**

_Two days later._

Teyla took a sip of her caffeine filled drink, sighing slightly as the warm liquid ran down her throat. Yawning slightly, she leaned forward and began flicking through one of the many reports that were piled up on her desk. She tried to keep her eyes open as she aimlessly flicked through the file. Her mind wasn't all with it today. She had stayed at the precinct last night just filling out DD5's. She had a good few to catch up on since she had left them to take care of Elizabeth. She didn't mind, though. Elizabeth was her friend and she would do anything to help comfort her, especially now that she was going through a hard time.

She felt so bad that Elizabeth and John were fighting. It almost seemed impossible that those two would ever have a fight, let alone one where John would leave. Teyla got it, John was pissed because Elizabeth hadn't told him sooner that she had been raped and yes, maybe she should have told him a long time ago, but she was also the victim, too. The both of them were. It was sad to see two people who loved each other unconditionally at odds. She just prayed that they would soon figure it out. She didn't want to see Elizabeth hurting, but she also didn't want to see John hurting. He was like her brother and to see him hurting and not be with the woman he loved would just be devastating.

John and Elizabeth had been apart for two days and three nights or in Elizabeth's terms, they had been apart forever. Teyla was beginning to see the full effects of Elizabeth and John being apart. Elizabeth looked awful and she didn't mean that in a bad way, but she always looked so depressed. She hadn't smiled in two days, which was rare for the curly headed M.E. She just wondered how John was doing. She knew it must be just as hard on him, too. He probably looked like crap.

She had never known two people to love each other so much. So much so, that as Elizabeth had told her, that when they were even separated for more than an hour it felt like a part of her heart was missing.

Sighing, she stood up and moved away from her desk. Her stomach grumbled as she began walking towards the break room. She was starving and so, maybe getting something to eat would help clear her mind, even if it was just for a while. She had so many things running through her head – Elizabeth, John, the case she was working on, trying to find new leads… everything.

Taking another sip out of her coffee, she walked into the break room, her eyes going immediately wide at whom she saw sitting at the table. "J-John?" She asked slightly in disbelief. She hadn't expected to see him, let alone see him at the precinct. She thought for sure that he would have gone to see Elizabeth first. Maybe he had. Now, she had some questions for him, though.

He looked at her. He looked so tired and worn out. "Hi Teyla," he muttered.

She walked closer to him, still a little shocked that he was actually sitting in the break room. "Where have you been for the last two days, John?" She asked him, sounding a little firm.

He just looked at her and sighed. "Don't start, Teyla. I'm not in the mood." He said glumly.

She ignored his comment and pressed on with her line of questioning. He wasn't getting away that easy. "Have you seen, Elizabeth, yet?" She asked curiously, but she could tell he hadn't by the look on his face.

"No, not yet," he sighed.

"Why not? Why haven't you called her? John, she's been hysterical since you left. She won't smile. She won't eat unless I make her and I have to watch her eat her food, just to make sure that she does eat it." She paused for a moment. "John, she cries all the time, just going through the motions of everyday life. Do you know how much she misses you?" She asked as she sat down in a chair across from him.

John just looked at her as he leaned forward on the table some more. "Of course I do. I just… needed some time to think – to clear my head!" He exclaimed, getting up from his seat. "I couldn't go back to her when I was so angry. I had to clear my head."

Teyla stood up, too. "She thinks you left her, John… that you don't love her. Is that true?" She asked. She knew it wasn't true. John loved Elizabeth more than anything in the world, but she had to ask. For some reason, she found herself needing to hear whether or not he still loved her friend. She knew that it would practically kill Elizabeth if he didn't.

He looked at her with slightly widened eyes. "Of course it's not true. You know I love her more than life itself!" He exclaimed a little sharply.

Teyla just looked at him. "I know you do, but now you have to tell her that," she sighed, "which is why you're coming down to the morgue with me to see her. You need to talk things out, John." She said simply.

"I will, Teyla… tonight. Right now, I'm going to work!" He exclaimed.

Teyla didn't understand why he was being so stubborn, so reluctant. Pulling her lower lip through her teeth, she decided to use a different method of persuasion as she watched him walking towards the door. "She did it for you!" She exclaimed, not really sure where she was heading, but she knew she had gotten his attention.

John turned around and looked at her. "What?" He asked, frowning.

"She didn't tell you because… she was afraid that if she did… Michael would kill you. He had promised her that if she had opened her mouth… he would kill you and she was terrified of that." She said softly, hoping that she was changing his mind. She hated using the guilt card on her friend, but she needed to get him and Elizabeth in a room together, so they could finally talk things out.

John just looked at her with sad eyes. "I would have protected her," he whispered.

"John, she's a victim and you know, just as well as I do, that victims always believe their abuser. She was afraid, John."

"I-I know. I just feel so guilty that I never noticed any signs of abuse on her. All that time we had spent together and I never even noticed!" He exclaimed. "I was supposed to protect her and it's been eating me alive knowing that I couldn't!" He exclaimed once again, it coming out strangled.

Teyla just nodded simply as she walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. "John, you have to tell her how you feel. The two of you can't keep going through life and not tell each other how you're feeling," she said softly as she pulled back and looked at him.

"I know," he said simply, dragging his hands down along his face.

"Come on, you're coming down to the morgue with me and the two of you can tell each other how much you love each other and make out like teenagers," she smiled slightly, trying to lighten the mood.

John gave her a small smile. "Let's go then," he said as he stood up a little straighter.

Teyla smiled slightly, glad that her friend decided to stop being, so stubborn. Things were starting to look good again and hopefully he and Elizabeth could sort things out.

**~xoXox~**

His heart was pounding so hard in his chest that he thought it might explode at any moment. He was nervous as hell. He wasn't really sure why, but it had probably something to do with the fact that he hadn't seen her in two days. Two days and three nights were a long time not to be next to the woman you loved. He missed holding her close. He missed kissing her, caressing her soft skin. He missed being able to rest his head against her bump, just talking to their baby. He didn't want to miss out on her pregnancy, to miss out on their baby's first kick. He wanted to be there through it all.

He sighed slightly. Now, all he had to do was convince her that he hadn't meant what he had said. She probably doubted his love for her and that killed him. He would do anything to convince her that he loved her and that he planned on spending the rest of his life with her.

John came out of his thoughts when they entered the morgue. Looking around, he tried to see if he could see Elizabeth, but he couldn't. He wondered where she was, but then he realised that she was probably in her office. He moved away from Teyla and walked towards her office. When he reached the door, he sucked in a big breath before opening it. He looked in, only to be greeted by an empty room. He frowned. Where the hell was she?

Frowning, he walked back over to where Teyla was talking to Barry, Elizabeth's assistant. "Hey Barry where's, Elizabeth?" He asked curiously as he reached them.

Barry shrugged slightly. "I don't know. She never came into work this morning." He said, looking at him.

"Did she say why?" John asked.

"Actually, she never called. Sam's freaking out," he said.

"Why?" Teyla asked.

"Because, Elizabeth never misses a day without calling. Sam is worried that something may be wrong. She's getting ready to head over to your apartment now, Detective," Barry said as he picked up the tray he had been sorting out and brought it over to the autopsy table.

John immediately went into panic mode. Elizabeth wasn't at work and she had never called into say why. Barry was right. She always called if she was ever going to miss a day. He turned and practically ran out of the morgue. He distantly heard Teyla tell Barry to tell Elizabeth's boss that they were heading over to his apartment now and that she didn't need to.

He tried to keep calm. She was probably just asleep in the bed. In a way, it kind of made sense. She was tired and upset. He knew all he had been doing for the last two days was practically lying in his bed in his hotel room, trying to sleep, but he had never been able to. Maybe she was doing the same.

_She's asleep, that's it. She's just in bed, so calm down, John;_ he gave himself a small, reassuring pep-talk.

**~xoXox~**

John wiped the sweaty palms of his hands on his pants as he and Teyla neared his and Elizabeth's apartment. His heart began racing once again and he found himself a little worried and also a little excited about the prospect of seeing her. He just hoped that she was okay. He didn't think he would be able to handle it if she wasn't, but he knew that she had to be asleep. That was the reason why she had missed work. She would wake up and he would apologise and beg for forgiveness and they would talk things through.

Everything would be okay.

When they reached his apartment, he looked to Teyla as he pulled out his key. "She's probably still asleep." He smiled slightly, trying to make himself believe that that was the reason behind her absence at work.

Teyla nodded, giving him a small smile. "You're probably right, John," she said softly, but it almost sounded like she didn't believe it either.

Shoving his key into the lock, he twisted it and opened the door. Slowly, he pushed it open, praying to God that everything was okay on the other side. When the door opened, his eyes went wide at what he saw. His heart immediately constricted in his chest and he felt his eyes begin to sting with tears. Elizabeth was lying on the floor on her side… unconscious.

He immediately ran into their apartment and made his way over to her. He dropped down beside her and pulled her into his lap, cradling her close. "'Lizabeth, baby..." he called softly. "Come on, baby – wake up." He said as he gently rubbed her cheek. She was so pale and fragile looking.

"I'll call 911," Teyla said hurriedly as she dialled the number into her phone.

Sniffling, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, softly murmuring, "please, baby… you gotta wake up." One of his salty tears dropped onto her face. "I'm so, so… sorry. Please… don't leave me." He begged. "I love you," he whispered, but it was barely audible.

He sobbed as he held her extremely close to him. He could feel her light breath on his neck. Oh God, what was happening? Did God hate him so much? Was he punishing him? He must be.

The woman he loved was unconscious for God only knows what reason and their baby… he sobbed… their baby was probably in danger. He sobbed even harder at that thought. "Oh, God," he cried, not caring that Teyla was standing near him. He couldn't lose Elizabeth or their baby. He would die if he lost the both of him. Without them, he would have nothing left to live for.

Nothing!

He brushed his lips softly across hers. "Please, Elizabeth… sweetheart… please wake up. I'm begging you… please… please don't leave me." He kissed her again. "I love you," he mumbled against her lips.

He pulled back when he heard her groan slightly.

It was a sound he had never been so happy to hear.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note: Two chapters today because I'm nice like that. :P**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The burning desire to see her was too great. The twenty minutes he had been with her before they had taken her off of him and up to the ICU had not been enough. He felt his body shake slightly from not being near her. For the last two days it had felt like he had been going into with-drawl. Not being near Elizabeth had been awful and just when he had gotten her back she was taken away from him again. He just wanted to be with her… to see her.

He paced the waiting room of Mercy General Hospital. He was anxious… there was no doubt about that. It seemed as if he had been pacing the waiting room for hours, but it couldn't have been that long. Could it? He stopped and looked at his watch. He had been pacing back and forth for exactly fifty-six minutes… fifty-six long minutes. He shook his head, sighing as he began pacing back and forth again.

He was annoyed that the doctors hadn't allowed him to be there with her while they were checking her out. It was also increasingly frustrating that a doctor hadn't come down to see him yet. He wanted to know if the love of his life, and their baby was going to be okay. He couldn't take not knowing. It was driving him insane. Couldn't someone just talk to him already!

He bit his lower lip… hard, wincing at the sudden pain. He pushed his lip away from his teeth using his tongue, running it over the spot that now felt tender. He sighed as he cracked his knuckles. He just couldn't seem to relax… to calm down. His heart continued to race with anxiousness.

John tried to take his mind off of the bad things that could happen and just focus on seeing Elizabeth. He had no idea what he was going to say to her. All he did know was that the first thing he was going to do when he saw her was apologise. He would beg for her forgiveness if he had to. He just wanted to wrap her up in his arms and hold her close, kissing her passionately. God, he loved her so much.

He came out of his thoughts when he heard Teyla speaking to him. "You know, you're gonna wear a hole in that floor," she said, trying to make light of the situation.

John just stopped and looked at her. He gave her a small smile. He had been pacing back and forth for the last hour, but he just couldn't bring himself to sit down. That may have had something to do with the fact that he couldn't relax. "I know," he sighed, looking down. "I just can't seem to relax." He raised his head to look at his friend. "I'm… afraid of what… the doctor might… say," he finally admitted. He was absolutely terrified that something was seriously wrong with Elizabeth and their baby.

"Everything's gonna be alright, John," she tried to reassure. "Elizabeth's a fighter… you know that."

John smirked slightly. "I know. That's one of the things I love about her," he said softly, his mind just drifting off to thoughts of the love of his life.

"John Sheppard?" John turned when he heard a man calling his name. He stared at the person who had called him. He was wearing blue scrubs and a doctor's coat.

"I'm John," he said simply as he walked closer to the doctor.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Simmons," he stuck out his hand for John to shake. John shook his hand, but then quickly let go, more interested in what was wrong with Elizabeth, than making friends with the doctor.

"So, doc, what's wrong with, Elizabeth?" John asked curiously, getting straight to the point.

Doctor Simmons looked at his chart before looking back at him. "Well, she passed out," he stated. John just looked at him. That much was obvious.

"From what?" He needed to know more.

"Well, her blood pressure was a little high and she was slightly dehydrated." He paused for a moment. "Has, Miss Weir been under any stress lately?" The doctor asked curiously.

John just looked at him, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Yeah, I guess. I know that she had been having a hard time at work and that she hadn't been sleeping properly," he lied somewhat to the doctor. He didn't feel like going into details. He felt terrible, though, that all the stress from everything had caused her to pass out. It hurt to hear what the doctor was telling him. He knew he needed to take better care of her. He didn't care if he had to quit his job to do so. He looked at the doctor again. "How are she and the baby?" He asked his heart beginning to race at what the doctor might say now.

The doctor gave him a reassuring smile. "The both of them are perfectly fine. We hooked, Miss Weir up to an IV to pump fluids into her body. The baby is completely fine and healthy. We are going to have to keep her in overnight, just for observation." He stopped for a moment. "Also, I'm recommending at least two weeks bed rest. She needs to get her strength back up. Right now, she's incredibly weak, but she's resting comfortably," he spoke softly, but in reassurance.

John let out a sigh of relief when he heard that Elizabeth and their baby were perfectly fine. He thanked God that he hadn't lost the both of them. "Can I see her?" He asked.

Doctor Simmons nodded. "Of course… she's in room 301. It's just down the hall and to the right," he said, giving him directions.

"Thanks," John said as he walked out of the waiting room and began his journey down the halls of the hospital. He let out a shaky breath as he passed the rooms by, his eyes scanning each number carefully, so he didn't miss her room. He once again felt nervous. The palms of his hands became sweaty and so he wiped them on his pant legs.

His heart began racing slightly as he grew closer to her room. He was afraid to see her. Not because he didn't want to, but he was afraid of what she might say to him. He was afraid that she would end up telling him to leave and never come back. He didn't think he would be able to handle that, but if it was her wish, he would abide by it… because he loved her. Making her happy was all he wanted.

When he reached her room, he stopped just inside the door. His heart skipped a beat when she turned her head and looked at him. He had been expecting her to be asleep, not awake. He was glad that she was awake, though. Now, he could talk to her… hopefully.

He came out of his thoughts when she spoke.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in nothing more than a whisper, but her words still cut through him like a serrated knife. She was fidgeting with the hem of her blanket and her green orbs were averted from his. He swallowed hard, trying to swallow past the lump that was forming in his throat, as he let his eyes linger on her weak form. She looked pale and tired… like she would be barely able to hold herself up.

He sucked in a deep breath as he stepped into the room further, stopping when he was half-way to her bed. "I-I came to see you," he said softly, hoping that he would get a somewhat happy reaction out of her… even just a small smile, but he didn't.

Instead she looked at him, uncertainty filling her eyes. "Why?" She whispered.

He felt his heart break a little. She didn't even seem to be a little happy to see him. He wondered if she even remembered the fact that he had rode the whole way to the hospital with her in the ambulance. She had regained consciousness for a few minutes, but maybe she had been too out of it to remember that he had been with her. He sighed slightly. "Because I care about you," he said gently as he moved closer to her.

"No you don't!" She exclaimed.

John immediately closed the distance between them. He pulled her cold hand away from her blanket and gripped it tight in his warm one. "Yes… I do!" He replied, trying to make her believe that he truly did care about her.

A tear rolled down his cheek when she pulled her hand away from his. He silently cursed himself for his weakness, but maybe it was a good thing that she saw how hurt he was by what he had said to her. "No you don't. You said so yourself," she said as she turned her head to the side, facing away from him. He could see a tear run down her cheek.

He brought his two hands up and rubbed his eyes using the tips of his fingers, rubbing away his shameful tears. He didn't deserve to cry… not now anyway. He had to hear Elizabeth out… hear her side of things.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he reached a nervous, shaky hand out and placed it on her growing baby bump. He smiled slightly as he began tracing small, soothing circles along it with the knowledge that their baby was okay. He knew Elizabeth loved it when he rubbed his hand along her bump.

When she didn't push his hand away, he looked at her face. She still wasn't looking at him, but there was a small smile on her face. He smirked slightly, but he knew not to get smug now. Scooting closer to her, he leaned his head down and lightly brushed his lips across her temple. "I love you… I do," he whispered in her ear as he rested his forehead against the side of hers. "I love you so much, 'Lizabeth," he said, trying to hold back his emotion, but it was hard. He ended up not caring and just let his tears overflow down along his cheeks.

"But-" She tried, but he cut her off.

"Just listen… please?" He begged. "I'm so sorry I said those horrible things to you… I didn't mean them… please… you have to believe me." He paused for a moment. "Yes, I was angry that you… didn't tell me… you were raped… but I know I overreacted… and I should have listened… to your side of the story." He kissed her temple one more time before speaking again. "We can get through this… You don't have to tell me until you're ready. I promise I won't push the subject." He finished, hoping that she would at least say something.

For a few minutes she didn't say anything and just lay there. All he could do was wait… wait for her to talk… wait for her to move… to do something. After a few more minutes, she finally spoke. "Promise?" She mumbled, still not looking at him.

John knew what she was talking about. Lying down, he slipped his arm around her and held her close. He wouldn't push her until she was ready to talk to him about it. That was a promise he was going to keep, but maybe her question also had a double meaning. Maybe she meant did he promise that he loved her. That was a promise he was always going to keep, too. He would always love her no matter what. "I promise," he said softly as he raised his head and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

He pulled back a little bit when Elizabeth shifted slightly. She rolled partly onto her side and finally looked at him. He stared into her green eyes, getting lost in them. God, how he missed just being able to look into her eyes. They were slightly red and puffy, evidence that she had been crying. He felt his heart break some more at that thought. "I missed you," she mumbled. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes.

"Oh, baby, I missed you, too. I'm so sorry for leaving," he softly murmured. He pulled her close.

She immediately threw her arm around him and buried her head in his chest, bursting into tears. "Y-you were… g-gone for… two d-days. I-I thought… y-you left… m-me," she sobbed.

"I would never leave you. I never even thought about leaving you. I was going to come back… _I swear._ I just… had to… clear my… head," he spoke slowly. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise," he said reassuringly. "You're stuck with me… sorry," he said, smiling slightly.

Elizabeth laughed a little, but then stopped. "I'm so sorry that I never told you sooner. I-I thought I was doing the right thing." She paused for a moment, before adding, "obviously not," while mumbling.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he said as he ran his hand up and down her back. "You don't have to talk about it now. I don't want you to stress yourself out, okay," he spoke gently, while holding her close.

Elizabeth nodded her head against his chest. "Okay," she mumbled.

Sighing slightly, John moved a little, so he could slip his arm under Elizabeth's neck, his hand resting between her shoulder blades. His other hand moved down the length of her back and rested on the back of her thigh. He scooted closer to her, but also pulled her close to him, so her body was pressed flush against his. Well, as much as her bump would allow.

He smiled slightly when she snuggled up against him some more. He breathed in her intoxicating scent.

He finally got to hold the woman he loved.

**~xoXox~**

The warmth of his body encased her trembling one. She felt cold and weak, and all she wanted to do was stay wrapped up in his arms for the rest of her life, never having to leave his comforting embrace. She yawned slightly as she felt one of his warm hands gently running up and down her back. She was tired, but she would not let John see that. She wanted to stay awake for a while longer, just to soak up his nearness to her. She had sorely missed being near him for the last two days, that going to sleep now that he was here would be a crime.

She was still a little frustrated at him because he had left and because of what he had said to her. A part of her still doubted his love for her, even though, he had made it very clear that he did love her. She wanted to believe it. In fact, her heart was telling her that he did love her, but her mind was being stubborn and kept telling her that he was just lying. She wanted to question him about it… again, but she decided against it. She had only just gotten him back and she didn't want him to leave again.

Slightly cursing herself, she sucked in a deep breath, his intoxicating scent hitting her full force. She groaned slightly as she buried her nose in his hoodie. She missed just being simply able to smell his favourite cologne in the morning. It was a light, soft scent. She loved that he didn't go overboard like most men did with their cologne. He put on just enough and it smelled heavenly.

Sighing in content, she smiled slightly when she felt him place a kiss to the top of her head. She pulled her lower lip through her teeth as she tried to banish away her doubts about his love for her. Just he being with her here and now, holding her close and comforting her was enough to make her believe that he did love her. Shifting a little, she tilted her head and looked up at John. He had a content look on his face and he was staring down at her. She stared into his mesmerising hazel eyes and saw nothing but love and devotion. She decided to go with her heart.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead.

Elizabeth gave him a dazzling smile, the first in two days. "I am now," she said simply, still looking at him as she tried to scoot closer to him, but she couldn't. Her bump was starting to get a little big and because of that she couldn't completely press herself against him. Not that she was complaining. The bigger her bump got, the closer she was to giving birth and she couldn't wait to meet their little baby.

"I am sorry," he whispered, looking at her with sad eyes.

Elizabeth brought her hand up – thankful that there was some slack in the IV tubing that she could move her hand without the feeling that cannula was going to rip out from under her skin – and gripped the collar of his jumper. She tugged him down towards her until his lips were mere inches from hers. "Its fine," she softly murmured as she pressed her lips against his. Closing her eyes, she smiled against his mouth when he finally began kissing her back. It felt like it was their first kiss all over again.

She shifted slightly, rolling onto her back a little as John moved one of his legs to rest between hers. John let his tongue flick out and traced her upper lip, begging for access, which she willingly gave. Their tongues collided, thrusting and twisting together in a heated passion. They kissed each other furiously, yet with a passion that they had both been lacking and missing for a while. John slowed the kiss down into a more passionate one, the both of them letting the love they felt for one another seep into the other. She slipped an arm around his waist and rested her hand on his back. She moaned into his mouth when he deepened the kiss more than she could have ever hoped.

When the need for air became too great, they reluctantly broke the kiss, groaning. John rested his forehead against hers and stared into her green eyes. She smiled, easing into his touch when he brought his warm hand up and gently cupped her cheek. "I love you, 'Lizabeth… very, very much," he said softly as he lightly pecked her lips.

Elizabeth brought her hand up and rested it over his, her eyes tearing up slightly. "I love you, too, John," she whispered, but it came out strangled as the tears once again started flowing down her cheeks.

"Please, don't cry," he whispered as he ran the pad of his thumb under her eyes, wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled. "I'm just so happy to have you back." She looked at him before pressing her lips against his once again. The tears still streamed down her cheeks. She was happy to have him back. She had felt so empty and lost without him.

John pulled her to his chest and rested the side of his head against the top of hers. "I truly am sorry, 'Lizabeth and I hope that one day… maybe you'll be able to… forgive me," he mumbled a little shyly, shame once again filling his voice.

"Oh John," she said simply as she ran her hand along his clothed chest. "I've already forgiven you," she said softly as she wrapped her arm around him tighter. She sighed slightly. "I just wish things… could get back to normal… where we didn't have to worry about… anything," she said, yawning slightly.

John ran his hand along her back. "And we will… I promise," he said as he wrapped his arms around her tight and held her impossibly close to him. "Now you get some rest," he said softly, kissing the top of her head.

"You'll be here when I wake up?" She asked. Even though, she already knew he would be, she still found the need to ask… to wonder.

"Of course I will," he softly murmured.

"Promise?" She asked as she pulled her lower lip through her teeth. Maybe she was going overboard.

"I promise, baby," he said as he kissed the top of her head, burying his nose in her mass of curly brown hair.

Elizabeth smiled. She snuggled into him even more as she felt a tiredness wash through her entire body, one that she knew was telling her to finally relax and succumb to her exhaustion. For the last three nights she had gotten barely any sleep and accompanied by sobbing, barely eating and continuous headaches, she definitely needed some major rest.

Yawning once again, she shifted slightly, so she could bury her head in the crook of John's neck. "I love you," she tiredly mumbled as she placed a soft kiss to his neck.

"I love you, too… Never doubt that," she heard him say softly as she drifted off into sleep, wrapped in the arms of the man she loved.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	23. Chapter 23

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* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

A hypocrite! He was a hypocrite! He couldn't believe that in the two days that he had been locked up in his hotel room and had time to think, he had never even realised it. The realisation had finally struck when he had been holding Elizabeth in the hospital. She had been asleep and he had time to lull over everything that had happened. It was the final piece that had finally made everything a little bit better, but made his guilt a lot worse.

He had been angry at Elizabeth for lying to him… for keeping such a secret from him, yet he had been doing the exact same. He had held the knowledge of the envelopes and the notes away from her. He had thought he had been protecting her, but instead it had fractured their relationship. It was hard for him to tell whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, though.

On one hand it was extremely bad. Things had been said and he had left for two days, leaving Elizabeth afraid and sick and ultimately… hurt. He had hurt her terribly by saying horrible things to her, things that weren't true and it had placed doubt in her heart. He knew it did. Of course it did. How could it not have? He just hoped that someday that doubt would fade away.

On the other hand, though, it had gotten everything out in the open. Maybe in a weird and strange way it helped strengthen their relationship. Now that everything was out in the open they could try and get passed it.

He knew he was going to have to tell Elizabeth about how he had found out she had been raped. He had to tell her about the envelopes he had been receiving. It was only fair. He had to open up to her, too. All the pain and stress could not be placed on her and he would not let her blame herself. Maybe they were both in the wrong, but it was something that could be solved and he was not going to let it ruin his relationship with the woman he loved.

Coming out of his thoughts, he leaned against the doorframe to his and Elizabeth's room, watching as she got changed into her pyjamas. He smiled and crossed his arms as he watched her pull off her t-shirt. Even after all that had happened, he couldn't deny that there was still a glow about her. Pregnancy really suited her.

He let his eyes travel down the length of her body, resting on her growing bump. There was just something so magical about it. Maybe it was the fact that sometimes he still couldn't believe that there was actually a tiny little life growing inside of Elizabeth and it was a part of him and her. It was their baby. He couldn't wait to meet their little baby, to hold him or her in his arms.

Sighing slightly, he pushed himself away from the doorframe and walked into their room. He walked across the carpeted floor, his socked feet making light pitter-patter noises. He smiled when he finally reached Elizabeth and wrapped his arms around her, resting both of his warm hands on her bump. He kissed her bare shoulder before resting his chin against it. "How are you feeling?" He asked softly, as one of his hands began trailing circles across her swollen abdomen. He turned his head slightly and looked up at her.

Elizabeth turned her head and looked down at him, giving him a smile. "Fine," she said softly.

"Are you sure?" He asked again.

"Positive. I'm just a little tired," she murmured softly while still looking at him.

John nodded slightly and reluctantly let go of her, so she could finish getting ready for bed. He watched as she pulled on her pyjama top and buttoned it up. Next, she pulled on her pyjama pants, smiling as she ran her hand over her bump. John smiled at the beautiful sight.

He waited for Elizabeth to climb into the already turned down bed before he pulled the covers up over her and tucked her in, making sure that she was snug and comfortable. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "You get some rest now, okay?" He said softly, staring into her big green eyes.

"Aren't you gonna lie down with me?" She asked curiously, running her hand down along his arm.

John smirked slightly as he leaned down and lightly pecked her lips. "I will in a little while… I'm just gonna clean up the place a little bit," he said softly, kissing her again.

Elizabeth gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I haven't really been up to doing anything other than working the last few days," she said simply.

John smiled slightly, trying to ignore the stabbing feeling in his heart. He knew it was going to take some time for the pain he felt to go away. "And that's perfectly alright," he softly murmured as he rested his hands against the top of the covers, just under her chin.

"Stay… please," she pouted, giving him the puppy dog look.

John chuckled. It was a look she knew he couldn't resist. He leaned down and kissed her pouting lips. "How can I say no?" He smirked.

Elizabeth giggled slightly and John couldn't deny that it was a wonderful sound to hear. "You can't," she said simply.

John rolled his eyes playfully as he stood up and pulled off his hoodie and jeans, letting them drop to the floor, leaving him only in his t-shirt, boxers and socks. He carefully and gently climbed over Elizabeth and slipped under the covers. Lying down, he wrapped his arms around Elizabeth and pulled her closer to him. He smiled as Elizabeth giggled when she went sliding across the bed.

Getting comfortable, Elizabeth lay on her back and John lay on his side with one of his arms gently resting over her swollen abdomen. John raised his head and looked down at her. "Now, will you get some rest?" He asked, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Elizabeth gave him a cheeky grin. "I suppose," she giggled.

John sighed slightly. She was always so stubborn. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. "I love you," he softly murmured.

"I love you, too," she whispered, kissing him again.

John rested his head just above her shoulder. He smiled when she tilted her head slightly, so the side of it was slightly resting against the top of his.

It felt good to be getting back to normal… somewhat.

**~xoXox~**

Tip-toeing into the kitchen, she tried to be as quiet as possible as she snuck up on him. He would probably tell her to go back to bed, but she needed to get up and move her muscles. After all, she had slept for nearly twenty-four hours. That was probably the longest she had slept in her entire life, and honestly, she felt so refreshed from it. What had made it even better was the fact that John had been in bed with her, holding her close. She smiled as she got closer to him. It felt so good to have him back with her and to be wrapped up in his warm embrace. Just having him close to her last night had been heaven.

When she reached him, she slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back. "Good morning," she softly murmured.

"What are you doin' up outta bed?" He asked, but Elizabeth could tell there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Elizabeth just rolled her eyes as she tightened her grip on him, smiling when she felt him rub his hand along her arm. "I got hungry," she pouted, even though, he couldn't see it.

"I was goin' to bring you breakfast in bed." He said.

"I had to get a shower, too."

"I could have run you a bath," he pointed out.

Elizabeth smiled as she stood up on her tip-toes and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck before resting her head against his back once again. She knew John was trying to find every reason for her to stay in bed. "I had to stretch my muscles." She giggled a little.

"I could have done that for you, too," he mumbled slightly.

Giggling, she ran her hands down along his chest, stopping at the hem of his t-shirt. Standing on her tip-toes once again, she slipped her hands under his t-shirt and began running her hands up along his sides, whispering, "And how did you plan on doing that?" She breathed against his ear, before placing a tender kiss to the sensitive spot behind it.

John chuckled as he turned away from what he was doing and faced her. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a smirk. "I have my ways," he said a little slyly.

Leaning up, she left her lips mere centimetres from his. "Well, why don't you show me?" She whispered before pressing her lips against his.

She smiled when John began kissing her back, but then he gently pushed her back. She gave him a curious stare, wondering what was wrong with him. "As much as I'd love to – bed rest means bed rest… So, that means no stressing yourself out, no lifting anything heavy, no cleaning and," he paused, "no sex for two weeks," he finished.

Elizabeth just stood there wide eyed. Did he just say no sex? She had to have heard wrong. He wasn't cutting off sex… was he? She looked at him. "I'm sorry, I must have heard wrong. I thought you just said no sex?"

John chuckled. "No, you heard right. You need rest and sex tires you out," he smiled.

"No, it doesn't!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

He laughed as he pulled her closer to him once more, resting his forehead against hers. "Babe, I didn't mean it like that, but you can't honestly say that staying up most of the night doesn't leave you feeling a little tired the next day," he said softly.

"Nope," she smirked, trying to change his mind. She hadn't felt his touch in at least four days, and maybe that was okay for a normal couple, but they were anything but normal. Having sex with John never got boring or never got old. With previous boyfriends – she winced as her mind tried to skip Michael – sex just wasn't as fun. She enjoyed it when John touched her. Hell, just a simple caress was enough to make her jump him.

"Really? Because I know that after we have sex… I'm wrecked!" He exclaimed, chuckling.

Elizabeth giggled. "That's because I rock your world." She leaned up and kissed him. She let her tongue flick out and traced his upper lip, begging for access, which he willingly gave. Their tongues collided, thrusting and twisting together in a heated embrace. She moaned into his mouth when he slowed it down into a more passionate kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth freely. She slipped one arm around his waist and one arm around his neck, pulling him closer. She felt giddy inside. It looked like the 'no sex for two weeks' was off the table.

All of a sudden, she broke the kiss and pulled away from him when she smelt something burning. She looked over John's shoulder. "Uh, John… your waffles are burning!" She exclaimed.

John looked behind him. "Aww – Fuck!" He exclaimed.

Elizabeth giggled as he took the waffles out of the waffle maker and threw them in the trash. She moved up beside him and rubbed her hand along his back. She sighed slightly. She was going to have some fun with him. "Fine, no sex for two weeks – We'll see who'll break first," she giggled.

John just looked at her, smirking. "Fine, I'll take that bet," he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before getting back to work on breakfast. "Now, go back to bed."

Elizabeth just rolled her eyes. "Why aren't you in work anyway?" She asked curiously. It was nearly twelve in the afternoon and he was still here.

"I took time off," he said simply.

Elizabeth just looked at him. "How much time?"

"Two weeks," he said simply once again, not even looking at her.

She sighed. "John, you can't keep taking time off work. I'll be fine on my own," she said softly. She didn't want him to get fired. She knew how much he loved his job.

John looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "'Lizabeth, sweetheart… its fine, trust me. O'Neill knows that I need to take care of you, and besides, I've been working at SVU for the last eight years and, I've never, not once taken time off for personal leave or vacation. I've got so much personal time clogged up… that I could take three years off and still get paid," he said, and she knew that he was trying to make her feel better.

Elizabeth smiled as she rolled her eyes and lightly shook her head, deciding to drop the matter. "Okay," she whispered.

He gave her a smile. "Now, will you please go back to bed?" He kissed the side of her head.

Nodding, she began walking out of the kitchen. She wasn't looking forward to spending two weeks in bed, but it wouldn't be all bad, especially with John with her.

And boy, did she have a plan to get him to break first.

**~xoXox~**

John sat up in bed with the lamp switched on, reading his book while he waited for Elizabeth to come out of the bathroom. He was in the middle of reading a crime novel. Elizabeth thought it was hilarious that he was reading it because he was a detective, and because he saw crime on a daily basis. He found some were interesting while others went overboard with the plot. Honestly, sometimes he found it appealing to get lost in a good book and forget the hardships of reality for a while. Of course, he would never tell anyone that he liked reading. Only Elizabeth knew that and she was sworn to secrecy. After all, he had his reputation to protect.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Elizabeth climbing into the bed. He didn't look at her. Instead he kept his eyes on his book. He had to hold back a groan, though, because he could see what she was wearing and damn, did she look sexy. She was wearing purple and black lingerie. He knew what she was trying to do, especially when she moved closer to him and began rubbing her hand down along his chest.

He had meant it when he had told her no sex for two weeks. He knew she was exhausted and that she needed her rest and, as much as he enjoyed making love to her, he knew it would just tire her out at the moment and he didn't want that. He wanted her to get better and he would do anything to make sure she did.

Sighing slightly, he left his book down on the nightstand and looked at her. Elizabeth knelt up and gave him a beaming smile. "So… what do you think?" She asked curiously, showing off her amazingly sexy lingerie.

John let his eyes roam over her gorgeous body, taking in her every feature, her every curve. "Damn 'Lizabeth, you look so sexy!" He exclaimed. He leant over and gave her a soft kiss. "Now – goodnight," he smirked as he lay down in the bed.

Elizabeth lay down beside him and began trailing kisses across his jawline. "You're right, lying down is much better." She giggled.

John just chuckled as he turned his head and captured her lips, giving her a passionate kiss. He still wasn't falling for her deliciously, sexy tricks. He could appease her for a moment, though.

Slipping his tongue in through her already parted lips, their tongues collided against one another. He deepened the kiss, enjoying it when he heard her moan. He loved the sound of her moan. It was music to his ears. His own body tingled when he felt her hand running down along his chest. He slipped his arm around her and held her close.

Breaking the kiss, he looked at her. Both of them were breathing heavy. Elizabeth had a very seductive smile on her face. "So, have you changed your mind yet?" She giggled seductively, kissing the sensitive spot behind his ear.

John chuckled slightly. "I meant what I said. You need your rest." He tried to kiss her, but she pulled away.

"Fine," she glared. She gripped his arm and lifted it from around her. She lay down and rolled onto her side, facing away from him. "Goodnight John," she mumbled.

"Aww, babe, don't be like that," he chuckled, slipping his arm around her. She pushed his arm off of her. "You know you're stubborn, right?" He questioned. He could see a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"You're gonna have to deal with it for the next two weeks," she murmured.

Laughing, he wrapped his arms around her and held onto her tight. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I think I can deal with that," he laughed lightly as he pressed a kiss to the side of her lips. "I love you," he softly murmured.

"Mmhm," she pursed her lips.

"I know that means you love me, too."

He loosened his grip on her when she turned in his arms, facing him. She poked him in the chest. "You want me to get some rest, and I'm trying to get to sleep here, so will you stop talking?" She lightly scolded.

He smirked. "I'm sorry." He kissed her before snuggling up against her. "I love you," he softly murmured once again.

"I love you, too," she replied as she snuggled up against him.

Reaching back behind him, he turned off the lamp. Turning back to Elizabeth, he fixed the blankets up on her. He kissed the top of her head and just lay there for a while, listening to her breathing even out.

Moving his hand, he rested it against her bump, gently rubbing it as he closed his eyes and finally succumbed to his exhaustion.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	24. Chapter 24

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**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_Three days later._

A sob ripped through her as she leaned over the porcelain bowl. Groaning, she vomited up the contents of her stomach. Her hands gripped the rim of the bowl, her knuckles turning ghostly white. Her morning sickness had practically stopped, but… this wasn't morning sickness. No, she was throwing up for another reason.

She cried some more as she thought about the image that was now seared into her head. The pain, the blood… it had all felt so real. But it wasn't real. It was all just a dream… a nightmare. It had frightened her more than she cared to admit. The thought of losing her baby made her throw up again. She dropped one of her hands and clutched at her stomach as if trying to protect her unborn child. She would do whatever it took to protect her baby – their baby.

She jumped slightly when she felt a warm hand touch her back, gently rubbing soothing circles along it. "Elizabeth – Baby… what's wrong?" John asked worriedly.

When she finished throwing up and she was sure that she wasn't going to vomit again, she dragged the back of her hand across her mouth, wiping away any remainder of sick. Sniffling, she rested her hand against her sweaty forehead as she sat back and leaned against the bath tub. She kept a protective hand on her four month bump. "I… I'm fine," she mumbled.

"No, you're not!" He exclaimed. "Please, 'Lizabeth… tell me what's wrong? I just want to help," he said softly as he sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

Elizabeth looked at him and saw the concern in his face. Pulling her lower lip through her teeth, she knew she had to tell him. She couldn't keep it from him. After all that had happened, she couldn't lie to him again. "I-I just had a… nightmare… and I was scared. That's what made me sick," she mumbled.

John kissed the top of her head. "What was it about, baby?" He asked softly.

"C-can I tell you after I brush my teeth?" She smiled slightly.

John smiled slightly. "Of course you can," he said as he stood up and helped her up.

Elizabeth gave him a grateful smile as she moved over to the sink and picked up her tooth brush and tooth paste. Squeezing the tooth paste onto her brush, she wet it and then brushed her teeth, making sure that the horrible taste was gone. Spitting it out, she rinsed her mouth out, sighing slightly as she dried her mouth with a small towel.

When she was finished and feeling refreshed, she sluggishly walked out of the bathroom and over towards the bed with John in tow. Climbing into bed, she sighed as she tried to relax. She smiled when John climbed in after her and swiftly moved over to her, wrapping his arms around her. "Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked softly, kissing the side of her head.

Rolling onto her side, she placed a hand on her stomach and looked at him. "Well…" she started, but then burst into tears, burying her head in John's chest. "It was horrible, John. I-I lost th-the… b-baby and you w-were… kissing T-Teyla… a-and you told m-me that… you d-didn't love… m-me," she sobbed.

"Whoa, whoa, what?" He asked, sounding slightly in disbelief as he gently pushed her back.

She looked up at him, sniffling. "Please don't be mad at me," she whispered. She wasn't sure why she thought he would be mad at her. Maybe it was just the hurt and lack of self-consciousness creeping in. She had heard from Ronon once that long before she had met John that Teyla had had a thing for him, but John hadn't returned her feelings. The dream seemed to let the thought of that creep in to her emotions, and turn her somewhat pleasant dream into a nightmare.

She couldn't lose John!

"Honey, I'm not mad at you… of course not… It's just – Teyla?" He asked.

"I-I know… I don't know… why… because I know you… wouldn't…" she trailed off, biting her lip. "Do you love me?" She asked as the tears flowed down over her cheeks.

"I do… of course I do… with all my heart!" He exclaimed as he pulled her closer to him. "I'm so sorry that I placed that doubt in your heart, 'Lizabeth." He said softly as he placed his hand over her heart.

Sniffling, she slipped her arm around his waist and buried her head in his chest. "I'm s-sorry. It's just the th-thought of not… having you with m-me… and losing our… b-baby… scared me."

John placed his hand on her bump and softly rubbed soothing circles along it. "You're never going to lose me or our baby. Little Shep is gonna be just fine," he softly murmured, kissing the top of her head.

Elizabeth giggled at the nick name. John had thought she was weird for calling their baby 'Little Shep' and now he was calling their unborn offspring it. She was beginning to feel a little better now. Tilting her head, she looked up at him and gave him a soft smile. "I don't doubt your love for me, John."

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," he mumbled, brushing some of her hair back off of her face.

"I-I think… its more fear… than anything. I always… thought I never deserved… you," she mumbled.

"Oh, baby, I think it should be the other way around. I don't deserve you," he whispered as he leaned down and lightly pecked her lips.

Giving him a soft smile, she stared into his hazel eyes. "We deserve each other." She pulled her lower lip through her teeth. "Can we not doubt that ever again?" She frowned slightly, but then smiled.

It was true. They did deserve each other. The loved each other with a passion that was so intense, so profound that just being parted for a couple of hours felt uncomfortable. "I can do that," he smirked as he leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss.

Rolling onto her back with John partly on top of her, she slipped her arms around his waist and held him close. She moaned when he broke the kiss and began trailing wet kisses down along her neck, sucking on her warm flesh.

"I love you, John," she whispered softly.

John looked down into her eyes. "I love you, too, 'Lizabeth." He leaned down and captured her lips once again.

**~xoXox~**

The January sun beamed down on him as he leaned against the wired fence with his arms crossed. His wicked eyes gazed out across the prison yard, searching for people he could recruit to his newly found group. He had a plan and he wanted to put that into motion.

Screw messing with that little slut and her dick of a boyfriend. He had bigger things in mind and he wanted to see them through.

His eyes finally settled on a group of people, most importantly their leader. He was big and burly. He was bald and his eyes were dark and beady. The colour of his skin was almost hard to see because he was covered in so many tattoos.

Michael smirked. "Perfect," he muttered as he began walking over towards them.

**~xoXox~**

John groaned when he heard a loud banging noise on the front door to his and Elizabeth's apartment. Sighing a little, he tightened his grip around Elizabeth's naked form, planning on ignoring whoever was at the door. This moment was too sweet to pass up. It had been a while since they could just lie in together. He just hoped the loud banging that was still happening wouldn't wake his sleeping angel.

Growling a little, he opened his eyes, forcing them to stay open and not close from the bright light. Looking to his clock, he saw that it was 10:30am. The knock came again. Cursing silently to himself, he carefully and quietly untangled himself from Elizabeth. Sitting up, he sat on the edge of the bed and picked up his boxers and slipped them on. Standing up, he picked up his t-shirt that he had thrown onto the ground the night before and pulled it on.

Running his hand over his face, he began walking out of his bedroom and up the hall towards the living room. He walked across the living room, over towards the front door. When he reached it, he looked through the peephole, frowning a little when he saw Ronon standing on the other side. Pulling open the front door, he just looked at Ronon. "What are you doin' here, Ronon?" John asked curiously.

"I have something I think you should hear," he said seriously.

"Well, what is it?" He asked slightly agitated. He had been comfortable in bed with Elizabeth.

"I don't think we should talk about it out here," Ronon said, aiming one hand towards the hall he was currently standing in.

Nodding slightly, he stepped back and allowed his partner into his home. Shutting the door behind him, he walked over towards the couch where Ronon had already made himself comfortable. Sitting down on the comfortable couch, John rested his elbows against his knees and lightly clapped his hands together, linking his fingers. "So… what do you need to tell me?" He asked once again.

Ronon sat forward a little. "It's about… Michael," he spoke hesitantly.

John growled at hearing his name. He was almost afraid to ask what he had done. "What has he done now?" He asked a little sharply.

"He hasn't done anything," Ronon muttered.

John frowned, looking at his partner. "What?"

"John… Michael's… dead," he spoke slowly.

"What?!" He heard a familiar voice exclaim.

Turning, he saw Elizabeth standing a few feet away from him and Ronon. He hoped that she would have stayed asleep, so he would at least have some time to process what Ronon had just told him. Though, he wasn't really sure what he was feeling. His most prominent emotions seemed to be anger and happiness. He was angry at the fact that Michael was dead, but only because he couldn't get any more information out of him. He was also extremely happy that he was dead, and yes, he knew that sounded bad, but after all that Michael had put them through, especially Elizabeth, he deserved nothing more.

If John had have had his way, he would have killed him a long time ago.

Coming out of his thoughts, he looked at Elizabeth, who had slightly widened eyes. "'Lizabeth… baby… what're you doin' up outta bed?" He asked softly as he got up off of the couch and walked over to her.

"Ronon's incessant banging woke me up," she said offhandedly. "Now, what about… Michael," she asked.

"Babe, I think you should go back to bed," he mumbled.

"I want to hear this, John!" She exclaimed, shoving him out of the way. She walked over and sat on the couch. "How did he die?" She asked curiously, looking at Ronon.

Sighing, he nodded his head as he went and sat down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He looked at Ronon, who just staring at him. John knew he was waiting for him to say it was okay to talk in front of Elizabeth. John would prefer it if Elizabeth was still asleep, so she wouldn't have to worry about it, but she had a right to know, too. He gave him a slight nod as a go-ahead, silently telling him it was okay.

"Well… he got on the wrong side of… a white supremacist group… and well… they killed him," he spoke slowly.

John just looked at him. He frowned slightly. How did a white supremacist group kill him? Wasn't he in solitary confinement? "Wait… what? I thought he was in solitary confinement?" John asked, confused.

Ronon shrugged. "I don't know… they let him out… I guess," he sighed.

Gritting his teeth, he had to hold back a growl. He didn't want to lose control in front of Elizabeth. He couldn't scare her like that again. He tightened his grip around her. It didn't go unnoticed by him that she was very tense. She hadn't said anything either since she had sat down. "So… he's dead?" He asked again, just to make sure.

Ronon nodded. "Yes, saw the body myself. He's been dead for approximately three hours," he said reassuringly.

John nodded. That was all he could do. He was still a little speechless. He didn't know what to say. Honestly, it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. All the worry was gone about Michael. He knew he still had to worry about who had sent those envelopes and of course, the sick fuck who had raped Elizabeth. But now that Michael was gone, whoever was his puppet probably would leave them alone. Even though, he wanted to catch the guy, he would be happy enough to just have him away from him and Elizabeth. All he wanted to do was to be able to get on with his life with the woman he loved and their baby. "Okay," he muttered.

"I better get going, I just thought you would want to know," Ronon said as he looked at his watch, getting up from the couch.

Reluctantly unhooking his arm from around Elizabeth, John stood up and walked Ronon over to the door. He got the sinking feeling that Ronon had something else to tell him. When he reached the door, he opened it and Ronon stepped out into the hall slightly. "Also, the team knows about, Elizabeth's… rape and the envelopes. O'Neill was pissed at first, but I explained it to him and… after much persuasion… he finally got where you were coming from," Ronon whispered.

John gave his friend a grateful smile. "Thanks," he muttered.

"One more thing, Elizabeth's rape is now an open investigation. Everyone wants to catch the son-of-a-bitch who did this to her, John… almost as much as you do," he smirked slightly.

"I doubt that!" John exclaimed. If he ever got his hands on the prick who had raped his beloved, he would kill him.

"Well, you may want to tell her. Maybe she can give us an idea who it was or maybe she won't want the investigation to go ahead. Either way, you guys need to make a decision soon. We've went through all the evidence over and over again. There was a young boy who dropped the last envelope into the lab. We're searching for him now, but we have no ID," he explained.

John nodded. "Thanks, man. I really appreciate how hard you and the others have been working on this since it came out. Especially you, since before it happened." He smiled a little.

Ronon nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "No problem. I'll see you when you get back to work," he said, walking off down the hall.

Shutting the door, he turned around, his heart breaking at the sight. Elizabeth had her face buried in her hands and she was crying. He quickly moved over to her and wrapped her up in his arms, pulling her into his lap. He was a little confused about why she was crying, but he wouldn't push her. He would wait for her to tell him. He leaned back against the back of the couch. Elizabeth dropped her face away from her hands and buried her face in his chest, gripping his t-shirt. He held onto her tightly, letting his hand rub soothing circles on her back. "It's okay to be sad, sweetheart," he spoke softly.

He didn't really understand why she was crying over Michael. To him it didn't make any sense after what he had put her through, but he would never question her about it. He knew victims acted differently and he knew Elizabeth was a victim. She needed time to sort her feelings out.

He kept rubbing soft circles on her back, whispering soothing comments periodically, making sure that she knew she wasn't alone. He kissed the top of her head, his heart breaking some more as he listened to her cry.

After a while, she pulled her head away from his chest and looked at him. He gently ran his thumb under her eyes, wiping away her tears. "I'm not crying because he's dead… I'm crying because… I'm happy that he's dead," she whispered. "That sounds mean, doesn't it?" She asked her brow furrowing.

Gently cupping her cheek, he gave her a reassuring smile. "Not really," he shrugged his shoulders a little. He was probably a little biased, though.

"I'm sorry for crying," she mumbled, smiling slightly.

"You never have to apologise for how you're feeling, Elizabeth," he said softly. Leaning in, he lightly pecked her lips. "I love you, no matter what," he mumbled against her mouth.

"I love you, too, John." She kissed him again before resting her head against his shoulder. She snuggled down into his lap some more before speaking again. "I-I think… I'm ready to… talk now," she spoke softly, fingering his t-shirt.

Kissing the top of her head, he tightened his grip on her. "Okay," he whispered.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth kept her face buried in John's neck, as she fiddled with the hair at the back of his head. She sniffled as she wiped her tear stained cheeks with her free hand. Her heart was racing slightly and she was feeling a little nervous because she had told John that she had wanted to talk, and now she had to. She wasn't really sure where to start, though. She just wished that John would say something, but she knew he wouldn't because he had promised her that he wouldn't push her.

Sighing, she moved her hand away from her cheeks and wrapped it around John's waist, and snuggled into his some more. She smiled when she felt John place a soft kiss to the top of her head. "So, where do you want to start?" She asked curiously, fingering his t-shirt.

"Well, where do you want to start?" He asked softly.

"I-I don't really… know," she mumbled. "I-I guess I could start from the beginning," she whispered a little shakily into his neck.

"Are you sure you want to do this, 'Lizabeth?" He mumbled into her hair, as he wrapped his arms around her tighter, letting his warm hand gently rub along her bump.

"Yes… I-I just want to get it all… out," she mumbled.

"Okay, I'll be here to listen… I promise." He kissed the top of her head. "There's something very important that I have to tell you, too, 'Lizabeth," he whispered into her curly hair.

Elizabeth pulled her head back away from his neck and looked at him. "What is it?" She asked curiously, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Well… why don't… you go… first?" He replied a little shakily.

Sitting up some more, she moved out of his lap and sat on the couch. She looked at him, trying to read him. He looked a little nervous… worried maybe. She wondered if what he had to tell her was bad. Maybe he was afraid of what she would think. She sighed a little. They had only made up after he had found out she had been raped. She was just so happy to have him back that she didn't care how bad what he had to tell her was. She was not going to push him away. She couldn't lose him.

Pulling her lower lip through her teeth, she reached out her hand and placed it on his thigh, giving his leg a reassuring squeeze. She would listen to everything he had to say, just like he was going to do for her. She was going to listen… carefully.

"Okay," she whispered. "I'll go first," she said softly. John gave her a reassuring smile and gripped her hand, and she could have sworn that she heard him let out a sigh of relief. Her heart started racing as she thought about where she would start. _You can do this, Elizabeth,_ she thought reassuringly.

"It's okay," John said softly.

"Well… it all started two months after I began dating… Michael," she cringed inwardly at the sound of his name. "The first two months everything was great… then one night he came over to my place… drunk and… he beat me. That happened… every night or so… until I finally left him." She spoke softly, feeling a little bit at ease that she had gotten some of that off of her chest, but she still had more.

"Elizabeth… why did you ask him to move in with you?" John asked curiously.

Elizabeth gave him a weak smile. She knew that question was going to come up sooner or later, and now she had to answer it… truthfully, no matter how hard the truth would hurt either of them. "I-I didn't… He forced himself into my place… telling me that he would kill me if… I refused." She felt tears come to her eyes at the memory of how weak and helpless Michael had made her feel. "It was so horrible, John." The emotion cut through in her voice. "To know… that… I had no way out… that I was stuck with him… I-I was so… afraid," she admitted, finally feeling her walls crumble. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

She was grateful when John pulled her back towards him and kept his arms wrapped tightly around her. "You can stop, if you want to, baby," he kissed the top of her head.

"No… no, I have to finish," she sniffled. Bringing up her hands, she gripped onto his arms, trying to get some more comfort. "You know… he had apologised after the first time he had hit me… and I stupidly forgave him!" She exclaimed bitterly at her own stupidity.

"Why didn't you tell me?" John mumbled.

"I-I was afraid… He threatened me. He said he would kill you and make me watch if I told… then he would kill me. I can't believe I fell for someone so… sadistic!" She exclaimed once again. She sighed a little, as she decided to just tell him about the rape. "Then six months… after we started dating, he… came home drunk again… and well… I got a little mouthy… and he… he let his friend… r-rape… me," she burst into full blown sobs.

"Shh, it's okay... It's not your fault," he murmured soothingly, as he pulled her into his lap and gently rocked her back and forth. "It's all over now… it's all over," he continued to soothe her and Elizabeth was so grateful for that.

"It was just after New Year's. I tried to fight him off… I did, but… he just kept hitting me over and over, until finally… I gave up," she whispered the last part. "Then… things went back the same. Michael, kept finding reasons to hit me… until I found him cheating in my bed… that's when I finally had had enough." She paused for a moment. "I-I knew he had been cheating, but… I didn't really have proof. I knew that… if I had of accused him… he would have just hit me… and I didn't want that to… happen. Does that make me a coward?" She asked, looking up at John through a teary gaze.

"No… it makes you a survivor," he murmured, as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

Elizabeth smiled a little. "You know the rest, then. I got with you… got pregnant," she smiled as she pressed her hands to her bump, "and lived happily ever after." She sniffled, smiling. "You know… I always loved you. Even when I was with, Michael… I always loved you. I think that was one of the reasons that I was afraid to tell you… I was afraid that you would have looked at me differently and… not treated me the same way," she mumbled.

John pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I wouldn't have… I swear. I would have still loved you… I do still love you."

Wiping away her tears, she sat up in John's lap and leaned against the soft cushion that was resting against the arm of the couch. "So… what do you have to tell me?" She asked curiously. She felt a whole lot better getting that off of her chest. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She felt like she was… free. She was finally free!

"Well… maybe we should wait for another day. Today was pretty stressful and… I don't want to stress you out too much," he said, as he tried to lift her off of him, so he could get up.

Elizabeth pressed her hand against his chest, stopping him. "Please, John… I want to hear it," she pleaded softly.

John nodded. "Okay, but please remember that I love you and… I only did it to protect you and our baby… because I couldn't live without you both," he said, pressing his hand against her growing stomach.

Elizabeth nodded. "I know," she murmured, as she placed her hand over his, prompting him to continue.

"Okay… how I found out you were… raped was because… I had gotten a note… with some evidence… and your DNA was found on it." He said softly, but he had a worried look on his face.

Elizabeth looked at him, confused. "A note?"

"Well… three to be exact," he mumbled.

"Three?" Elizabeth asked, arching her right eyebrow.

"Yeah," John mumbled, averting his gaze from hers. "The first two were just messing with me, but the third… well, there was blood on the piece of cloth… that was stuck to it," he finished, sighing. He looked at her with tears beginning to run down his cheeks.

Elizabeth just stared at him for a moment at a loss of words. She didn't know what to say to what he had just told her. On one hand, she felt a little mad that he had kept that from her, but on the other, she got where he had been coming from. After all, she had been doing the same thing when she had hid the rape and abuse from him. She looked at John again, her heart breaking at the sight. He looked so distressed that she might be mad at him. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his. "It's okay," she mumbled against his warm lips.

John pulled back, looking at her with wide eyes. "Really?" He looked a little suspicious, and no matter how upsetting or serious the moment was, a little giggle escaped her lips.

Shifting, she moved and straddled him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "John, we were both in the wrong. We should have been more open with each other. John… sweetheart… we have a good, honest relationship… we just have to be more open to each other. We have to tell each other thing's that may be… hurtful or frightening, but we need to be more open if we want this relationship to work properly… okay?" She spoke softly.

John nodded, sniffling a little. Elizabeth gently ran her thumb under his eyes, wiping away his tears. She had never really seen him cry before, so she knew he was just as hurt as she was. "I promise… I won't keep anything from you," he spoke a little hurriedly. "I-I just don't know – I mean… how are you not mad at me? Shouldn't you be throwing stuff at me or kicking me out of our apartment? I mean… you have every right to… after the way I reacted to you when you tried to te-" She cut him off by pressing her lips against his.

"Shh, can we not talk about that, please… ever? It's in the past… Let's just forget about it – It never happened." She smiled, as she pressed her lips against his once again.

John nodded. "Okay, but I do have two questions for you and… if you say no, then I won't talk about it after this… okay?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Okay," she whispered.

"W-what was the name of, Michael's friend that r-raped you?"

"Augustus Kolya," she told him instantly, surprising him, but more so herself. She had thought she would have been reluctant about telling him, but maybe not keeping it bottled up was doing her some good. John just nodded. "But, he left the country a few weeks after I was raped… for some job in Europe."

"Okay," he said softly. "This question is probably one of the most important," he said softly. Elizabeth nodded that she understood. "Do you want your case to be an open investigation?"

Pulling her lower lip through her teeth, she thought about it for a moment. Did she want it to be an open investigation? She knew it would be tough, but she knew it would bring her closure if the man who had raped her was behind bars. Secretly she wished that he was dead, just like Michael, but she knew that probably wouldn't happen, so she would settle with him behind bars for the rest of her life. "Yes… I do. I want him behind bars, John!" She said with certainty.

"Okay, we'll go down to the precinct, so you can give your statement," he said.

Elizabeth nodded. "Can we do it in a few more days… when I'm feeling a little better? I just don't want to think about it for the rest of the day," she said softly.

Nodding, John smiled. "So, a change of subject."

Giggling a little, she pressed her lips against his. "I love you so much, John."

"I love you, too, babe." He replied.

Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his. "By the way, you lost the bet," she mumbled against his mouth.

John pulled away, frowning. "What bet?"

"You told me we couldn't have sex for two weeks, I said it was a bet and you lost it," she smirked, knowing he knew what she was talking about.

"I don't think so. You kissed me first," he smirked.

"Eh, you kissed me first," she pointed out.

"I was only doing what a good boyfriend should do and comfort his girlfriend." He smirked some more.

"Fine, kissing doesn't count, but the stripping off does."

"You're right. Your hands were definitely goin' places."

Elizabeth just looked at him. She was so glad for the subject change, and to a lighter, enjoyable one, although, she was not going to let John out of this one. "Only _after_, your hand slipped down into my pants." She giggled.

"As I recall, you were on top… therefore, you were in charge," he gave her a smug grin, thinking he had won.

"I wasn't even half naked at that stage!" She exclaimed. "Well, until _you_ took off my top… and the rest of my clothes," she gave him a smug grin.

John eyed her for a moment. "Fine… you win," he muttered.

"Yay," she giggled. "Now, I want my prize."

"And what would that be?"

"I wanna go out," she smiled, as she tightened her arms around his neck.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Aww, come on, John. Please… I'm bored being stuck indoors. I just want breakfast and maybe go for a walk then, I promise when we come home… I'll stay in bed for the rest of the day," she pouted, giving her most adorable puppy dog face.

John chuckled. "Let's just hope our baby doesn't inherit that look. I might never be able to say no," He smirked.

"So… does that mean yes?" She asked a little giddily.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Um, I want waffles."

"So, 'Ihop?'"

"I like 'Benny's' waffles better," she smiled.

"'Benny's' it is. Now go get dressed," he smirked.

Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his before gently climbing out of his lap. She felt giddy, as she walked towards their room. Maybe today was going to be a good day.

After all, she had finally gotten all that she had bottled up off of her chest, and John was still with her.

Maybe everything would be okay.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	25. Chapter 25

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**Chapter Twenty-Five**

_January 23__rd__. Four months, two weeks pregnant._

She stared at her reflection in the two-way mirror. She sighed slightly, as she ran her hand over her expanding belly. Why was she doing this to herself? She didn't have to tell them. As long as John knew then her conscience was clean. They didn't have to know. She could walk out of here now, and try to forget about it. She could move on with John by her side and be happy. _But, wouldn't it be better if you did tell? _Her conscience spoke up. _You could put the man who raped you away._

Tears began to pool in her eyes, as she pulled her lower lip through her teeth. She continued to stare at the glass, knowing that John was standing on the other side, and probably everyone else was, too. She just wished that John could be in here with her, but he wasn't allowed. Why was that? _You know why. It could taint your statement,_ her conscience resurfaced once again.

God, she just wished that her conscience would leave her alone. She didn't need the voice in her head pointing out things she already knew. But that still didn't stop her from wanting John to be in here with her. She still didn't understand how he could taint her statement, but Teyla had told her the defence would use it as a ploy, saying that he would manipulate her statement for his own advantage against the man who raped her. That's why he couldn't investigate her case either.

_Come on, Elizabeth, you can do this,_ she thought reassuringly. Turning around, she looked at the two detectives sitting at the table in front of her – Teyla and Evan. God, she was so desperate for them not to know her secret, but the thing was… they already knew. And because of that, she would have to live through every detail again, as she gave them her statement.

She locked eyes with Teyla, deciding to just get it over with. She leaned against the wall, deciding against sitting down. The uncomfortable looking chair didn't look appealing at that moment in time. She felt restless and a little unsure of herself. She needed John to reassure her that everything was going to be okay, and as silly as it sounded, by leaning against the wall beside the two-way mirror, she felt just that little bit closer to him.

She sighed as she prepared herself to answer Teyla's previous question; 'Do you know who raped you?'

She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. She had to get a reign on her emotions. She couldn't break down, not now. Running her hand through her hair, she finally spoke. "His name is, Augustus Kolya." She licked her lips. "He's a bio-engineer… He took some job in Europe. That's the last time I heard about him. I don't even think he's back in the US." She said simply, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, we can find out where he went and see if there's any cases over there… that might be similar to yours… where he's involved and… maybe we can get him… extradited back to the US," Teyla said, trying to reassure her.

Elizabeth just looked at her friend and nodded. She doubted that they would get him, but she had to remain hopeful. Honestly, as long as he was nowhere near her or the people she loved then she could live with the fact that they might not be able to get him. She just wanted to get this over with. The fact that she had finally told her deepest secret, and the fact that nobody had judged her because of it, made living through the details a little bit easier, but not much.

Opening her hand bag, she shoved her hand inside and pulled out something that she had been hiding for the last year. She walked over to the table and placed it down in front of them. The both of them looked at her curiously. "You kept a picture of him?" Evan asked curiously, as he picked it up and looked at it.

Elizabeth nodded. "I guess… I kept it because… I thought that… one day if I did tell… then I would be able to… show you who he is… and not just by a sketch," she said simply. She knew that a picture could sometimes be better than a sketch. She had seen some amazing sketches of suspects, but no one could deny that a photograph was always a better choice.

"Makes sense… I guess," he mumbled.

"Elizabeth… I know this is hard… but we're going to need you… to tell us what happened… that night." Teyla said softly, standing up from her chair. "And please, sweetie… will you sit down? John will kill us if we let you stand up during this," she smirked, trying to lighten the mood slightly.

Elizabeth smiled a little, as she sat down in the uncomfortable chair. Leaning back against the chair, she rested both of her hands on her bump. "Can you tell us what happened that night?" Evan asked curiously.

Elizabeth sighed, but nodded. "Well… Michael came home drunk and… he brought, Augustus back with him… and well, they were both… drunk, and so… I tried to tell, Michael that, Augustus should go home and that… he should go to bed, but… ah… he… ah…" she trailed off, not really wanting to tell them. She wasn't sure if she could do this anymore. _You have to do it,_ she thought to herself. She bit her lower lip, as hot, salty tears beginning to stream do her cheeks.

"Its okay, Elizabeth," Teyla said softly. "Take all the time you need."

Elizabeth just nodded. She had experienced the dreaded touch of an unwanted man. She had been abused, both mentally and physically, and maybe that made her stronger for it. She had survived it. She had lived through the darkest time in her life. She realised that she could do this. She could give her statement and then, for once and for all be truly free from her demons. "Well, Michael knocked me around before… letting Augustus have his… way with me," she cringed just thinking about it, trying to hold back vomit. "H-he dragged me to my room and… and threw me down onto the bed, and… climbed on top of… m-me… then forced himself on me… r-raping me." She finished.

Teyla nodded. "Okay, well is there anything else you need to tell us?" She asked curiously.

Thinking about it, she wasn't sure if she had to give a statement about the abuse Michael had put her through, now that he was dead. "D-do I need to give a statement about the abuse, Michael done to me?" She looked between the two detectives.

"Well, actually, Michael confessed to that, and so he was sent to prison." Evan said. "So, I think it should be fine not giving one, but if this goes to trial, Caldwell may want to introduce it was evidence."

"Okay," she whispered.

"Actually, Elizabeth, I think it would be better to just write it all down when you're writing out your statement," Teyla said.

"Okay," she whispered again. All she wanted to do was go out to John. She needed him.

Sighing, she leaned forward and picked up the pencil and began writing down every detail that Michael had done to her, everything that Augustus had done to her. As the words were scribbled down onto the paper, she felt her past going along with it.

Sure, she couldn't change it, but she could try and get past it. Giving her statement and opening up, were the first steps to doing that.

And if she was being honest, she was quite proud of herself.

**~xoXox~**

John tried to keep a reign on his emotions, as he stood outside of the interrogation room and stared through the two-way glass. Listening to Elizabeth tell her story about what had happened to her, just didn't seem to get any easier. It was hard for him to hear it, but he couldn't even fathom how hard it was for her to tell it over and over again.

Her strength and her courage were just some of the things that made him love her more and more with each day that passed. Through some heart crushing moments, things had finally begun to fall into place and he was thankful that any secrets that he and Elizabeth had had were no longer buried, but out in the open.

Hearing how Michael had let his so called friend rape Elizabeth, just made him angrier at the fact that she had been horribly violated. He knew that if Michael wasn't already dead, he wouldn't have been able to hold back and keep his temper in check, and he would have killed him. He was going to kill the man who had raped Elizabeth. All he had to do was find him.

Sighing, he came out of his thoughts when he heard the interrogation room door open. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to relax before he came face to face with Elizabeth. He didn't want her to see how angry he was at what had happened to her.

John gave his beloved a small smile, as she walked out of the interrogation room. He could see that she was upset and tired looking, but he was so proud of her for giving her statement and opening up about her rape and abuse. Holding open his arms, he felt relief when she walked into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her close. He buried his face in her mass of brown curls, just soaking up her nearness. He could feel her baby bump pressing into him, as he held her close. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before softly whispering in her ear. "You did great, sweetheart." He pressed a warm kiss to her cheek.

Elizabeth pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "Can we go now… please?" She pleaded.

John could hear the desperation in her voice. He hated to see her so upset. "Of course we can," he affectionately murmured, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

Elizabeth gave him a small smile, as she rested her head back against his chest. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and he knew she was ignoring the world around her. John looked to Caldwell who was standing beside him. "So… how's this gonna play out?" He asked curiously, keeping his grip on Elizabeth tight.

"Well… I would like to take this to trial, and with Elizabeth's statement we could stand a good chance at court, if… we had the perp…" he trailed off.

John sighed slightly. "So… you're sayin' that there's nothin' you can do?" He sounded incredulous. They had Elizabeth's statement, her DNA and the notes that lead to her rape being found out. Sure, it wasn't much, but Caldwell had won cases on a lot less.

Caldwell sighed. "Detective… I'm saying I want to prosecute this case, but… without a suspect… I can't." He said, as he threw up his arms slightly. "We would have to find where he is and then extradite him." He finished.

"Well, then… do it!" He exclaimed, trying to keep his temper in check. He hated the thought of Elizabeth having to go through all this and not be able to get justice for what had happened to her. She deserved closure, and he would do whatever it took to give her that. Whether he had to spend the rest of his life investigating her case or travel across Europe to find her rapist, he would do it and she would finally have some peace of mind.

He couldn't even imagine what it must be like for her to know that her rapist was still out there somewhere, and that any minute he could come back and haunt her, attacking her once again.

Caldwell sighed again. "Detective… you know you can't work this case, but… if you guys," he said looking to Ronon, Teyla and Evan, "fined, Augustus Kolya… and see if there's any other open cases linked to him… then maybe I can get him extradited," he said a little hopefully.

John nodded. He appreciated that he would do everything he could for Elizabeth. "That's all I ask," he said softly. He kissed the top of Elizabeth's head once again. "Come on, baby… let's go," he whispered softly.

Elizabeth nodded her head against his chest. She pulled away and linked her fingers with his, giving him a small smile. She looked to everyone and whispered a small, "thank you," before following him out into the bullpen.

He held onto Elizabeth's hand with a fierce grip when she moved closer to him, pressing herself into his side. He didn't want to let her go, not now. He needed to be with her. No, he had to be with her. He had to make sure that she was going to be okay. It crushed him every time he saw her upset, and all he wanted to do was make her feel better.

He smiled a little for the first time that day. She had a doctor's appointment today. Maybe seeing their baby up on the screen might help cheer her up. He knew it would cheer him up. Just listening to their baby's heartbeat brought tears to his eyes.

He smiled. He had the perfect idea to make her feel better.

**~xoXox~**

"So, Elizabeth… how have you been feeling the last two weeks?" Doctor Beckett asked her.

Elizabeth looked at her doctor, letting out a breath before replying. "I've been fine," she said truthfully. Today down at the precinct had been stressful, but she was glad that it was over and done with. She didn't have to worry about lying or keeping secrets. It felt good to know that maybe one day she might get justice for what was done to her. It also killed her though, to think that she might never get justice, but she was trying not to think about that now. Now, her thoughts and concerns were for her baby, and they would continue to be for as long as she was alive and breathing. She came out of her thoughts and focused her attention back on the doctor. "I was feeling a little tired and dizzy, but I haven't been dizzy for the last week," she finished.

The doctor nodded. "Have you been resting up?" He asked curiously, as he squeezed some of the cold gel onto her stomach.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yup, this one here," she said, tapping John's shoulder, "has been keeping me on strict bed rest." She replied, smiling.

John chuckled and gripped her hand. "I had a hard time trying to get her to stay in the bed, but I managed," he looked at her, giving her a loving smile.

Elizabeth giggled before turning her attention towards the doctor. "So, is everything okay with our baby?" She asked curiously, but she was also a little worried. She knew the last couple of months, but especially the last couple of weeks had been very stressful. She was worried that the stress and lack of relaxation had harmed their baby. She didn't think she would be able to live with herself if it had.

The doctor gave her a small smile as he dragged the wand across her growing stomach. Elizabeth watched as an image appeared up on the screen. She felt her eyes begin to brim with tears, as she looked at the image of her and John's baby up on the monitor. "Everything looks perfectly fine." He gave them a reassuring smile. "Would you like to hear the heartbeat?" He asked curiously.

The both of them nodded. This was Elizabeth's favourite part. Listening to their baby's heartbeat was amazing. Sometimes it all seemed surreal.

Her eyes watered when the sound of their baby's heartbeat sounded throughout the room. God, it was so beautiful. "It sounds a little stronger than last time," she murmured, picking up on the slight difference.

The doctor nodded. "As the baby grows, so does its heart and therefore it gets stronger," he smiled.

Elizabeth smiled. Being a doctor herself, she already knew that, but it was nice to hear it from someone else.

"It's beautiful," John softly murmured, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Do, you want to know the sex?" Doctor Beckett asked curiously.

"Um… we're still not sure," she smiled sheepishly.

"That's okay… you still have time to think about it. I'll just go print some pictures off," the doctor said, as he stood up, wiped the gel off of her stomach and then walked out of the room.

Elizabeth smiled, as she looked to their baby up on the screen. "Oh God, our baby has gotten so big," she smiled, looking at John.

John leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. "Of course our baby has. That little tyke in there," he said, resting his hand against her stomach, "has the best home in the world," he softly murmured.

Turning her head, she looked at him smiling. "Really?" She asked, resting her hand over his.

"Of course!" He exclaimed. "Elizabeth… you've been through so much, but you have still protected our baby." He lightly pecked her lips before continuing. "Our baby is perfectly healthy… thanks to you," he softly murmured.

"And you," she whispered. "I couldn't have done any of this without you." She smiled softly.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth walked hand in hand with John through Central Park. She smiled when she felt him grip her hand tighter, pulling her closer to him. Grinning, she broke her hand away from his and slipped it around his waist instead, holding onto him with a fierce grip. "It's beautiful out," she softly murmured.

She tilted her head slightly and looked up at John, giggling when she seen the look on his face. "It's freezing out!" He exclaimed.

"I know…" she trailed off, grinning.

A small whimper escaped her throat when John unhooked his arm from around her. He gripped her gloved hand, pulling her towards a bench. "I thought you hate twenty or below weather?" He asked, sitting down.

Smiling, she let out a contented sigh when John pulled her down onto the bench beside him. He wrapped one arm around her and let his other hand rest on her stomach. She leaned into him a little, feeling somewhat exhausted, but she didn't want to go home to bed just yet. She needed to get out and about. She hadn't really been anywhere in a few days and she was so bored because of that. "I do, but I haven't been out of our apartment for a few days… therefore I love it," she giggled.

John rolled his eyes playfully before leaning in to press his lips against hers. "You are so weird," he mumbled against his mouth.

Elizabeth pulled back and gasped. "Am not!" She exclaimed, playfully swatting his chest.

Elizabeth let out a squeal of delight when John wrapped his arms around her tight and buried his face in her neck, lightly nipping on her skin. "God, you're amazing," he mumbled into her neck, still sucking on it. She was glad that there wasn't anybody really around. Well, not where they were sitting anyway.

"You're not so bad yourself," she mumbled, turning her head and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

John gave her a smile before pressing his lips against hers. Elizabeth giggled against his mouth when she heard her stomach growl a little. "Someone's hungry," she rubbed her belly.

John chuckled, pulling back from her slightly. "Didn't you just have lunch?" He asked, smirking.

"Hey, it's not my fault _your_ baby wants more food!" She exclaimed, playfully glaring at him.

"Oh, so now it's _my_ baby?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, you're the one who knocked me up." She gave him a smug smile.

"I didn't hear you complaining," he laughed, tickling her side. "Where do you wanna go get something to eat?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I think baby wants some ice-cream." She cooed softly to her bump, gently rubbing it. "Preferably chocolate fudge," she smirked.

John chuckled. "The baby or you?"

Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him. "Maybe we both do." Standing up, John helped her up off of the bench. She gave him a grateful smile. "I love you." She smiled.

"I love you, too." He leaned down and gave her a passionate kiss.

Elizabeth smiled as they walked off hand in hand searching for some ice-cream.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	26. Chapter 26

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**Chapter Twenty-Six**

"God, this ice-cream is so good," Elizabeth moaned as she let her tongue flick out and run along the cold chocolate delight. She looked at John when she heard him chuckle. "What?" She asked with her mouth full of ice-cream.

"I just can't believe you're actually eating ice-cream in this weather. It's freezing out," he shook his head smiling. "Is the baby enjoying it," he chuckled as he ran his hand over her bump.

Elizabeth gave him a grin. "As a matter-of-fact… yes… the baby is enjoying it," she stuck her tongue out at him. She giggled when he rolled his eyes.

When he un-wrapped his arm from around her waist, she reached out and gripped his hand. She smiled when she seen little kids running around and playing on the grass with their parents. She couldn't wait for that to be her and John with their children. She knew she definitely wanted more kids with John – Maybe two boys and a girl or two girls and a boy or maybe just one of each. Honestly, it didn't matter to her if she had all boys or all girls or even just one, just as long as they were John's, she would be happy.

She came out of her thoughts when she heard John sigh slightly, so she looked at him, trying to read him. He looked at her and gripped her hand tighter. "Are you sure you're fine after today?" He asked worriedly.

Elizabeth gave him a reassuring smile. He always worried about her and maybe now it was time for her to reassure him, like he had done for her on more than one occasion. "John… I'm fine… really. I know the last few weeks have been touch and go, but… I need to get some normalcy back in my life – where I don't have to worry about anything bad happening anymore… And I think giving my statement has helped me do that. I know that they probably won't catch him, but… surprisingly, I'm trying to think about that now." She said softly, giving him a soft, reassuring smile. She moved a little closer to him and leaned into him as she looked up into his hazel eyes. "I have you, and we're going to have a baby… and I know I've said it a dozen times before, but I just want to put everything bad that has happened over the last couple of months… in the past." She said with finality.

"Okay… okay," he agreed. "I'm sorry for worrying so much, but… I just want to catch the bastard that did this to you… All I want is to get justice for you, so I can make you happy… And now that I know his name and what he looks like, I can try," he growled out.

Elizabeth pulled him to a stop. "Honey, please don't worry about that. You make me happy already… I don't want you to think you have to find the man who raped me… to make me happy," she spoke softly. "Waking up next to you every morning makes me happy. Seeing you smile makes me happy. Having you kiss me… makes me happy," she grinned, "and more importantly, knowing that this baby in here," she said, running her hand over her expanding stomach, "is yours, makes me happy." She gave him a smile. "So, can we just try and not think about the past and only think about now and be as happy as we can be?"

John nodded. "Okay," he whispered.

She sighed slightly, knowing that what she had to say next would help the both of them. "I-I think I should talk to… Kate. I've been thinking about it over the last couple of weeks, and I know that you being you… didn't want to upset me by mentioning therapy, but I think it would be a good idea to talk to her." She searched his face for his reaction.

He gave her a small smile. "I think that's a good idea." He leaned down and kissed her. "I'll talk to her about it the next time I see her."

She nodded. "And, I also think it would be a good idea for you… to talk… to her," she mumbled. "W-we could do it… together," she said a little hopefully. "M-maybe she can help us get things back on track," she shrugged her shoulders, averting her eyes from his.

"Baby, I think therapy is a good idea and of course I'll be there with you. You're right, it will do the both of us some good," he smiled as he lifted her head up, so she was looking at him.

She smiled softly as she leaned up and kissed him.

**~xoXox~**

_Three days later._

A gust of wind blew through the broken boards that covered the shattered windows, making the rusted chains sway from their position, dangling from the rotting, wooden beams. The wooden building seemed to groan in protest as the wind pounded against the outside, making it shake in its foundations.

The smell of must and rotting wood wafted throughout the old abandoned warehouse. The floors were blanketed by what looked to be about two inches of dust. The windows that weren't broken were filled with a thick layer of grime. The wooden stairs that led to the second floor were at the verge of breaking away from their joining at the rusted, metal railings. Each step creaked, threatening to give way as he walked slowly down them.

Occasionally the dust would swirl up around him as he left his footprints across the cement floor, as he walked towards the unconscious form lying on the cool metal table across from him. He smiled a wicked smile under the mask that covered his face. He wore black leather gloves, perfect for not leaving any finger prints. He was sure he wouldn't be caught. After all, they hadn't caught him yet.

When he reached her, he looked down on her semi naked body. Only her black lace bra and matching panties covered her. His beady eyes roamed over her perfectly toned body. He groaned in want as he let his hand softly glide across her body, trailing along her stomach, letting his hand come to rest on the firm mound of one of her breasts.

He breathed in a shaky breath as he licked his lips, his tongue gliding across the cotton of his mask.

He chuckled when he heard her groan. Perfect! She was waking up. He wanted to hear her scream out while he had his fun with her.

**~xoXox~**

John's heart pounded hard in his chest as he watched Elizabeth getting changed into her lavender, strapless dress. It was tight across the bust, but it flared out the rest of the way down, sitting over her baby bump perfectly. Some of her curls were pinned back and she was wearing the necklace he had gotten her for Christmas. Not that she ever took it off.

He chuckled when she sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to put on her gold gladiator sandals. He walked over to her and gave her a cheeky grin. "Do you need a hand?" He asked curiously.

Elizabeth looked up at him and he noticed her lower lip begin to quiver. "Please," she whispered.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead before kneeling down in front of her. Picking up her sandal, he gently slipped it on her foot and fastened it. He pressed a warm kiss to her ankle before putting on the other sandal. "There," he said softly. When he was finished, he stood up and gently took her hands in his and helped her up off of the bed.

Elizabeth gave him a sheepish smile. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"Baby, it's okay to ask for help," he said softly, drawing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.

"I know… I'm just a little embarrassed that I can barely put on my own shoes," she mumbled.

John chuckled a little, but stopped when Elizabeth glared at him. "Sorry," he cleared his throat. "You look beautiful by the way," he complimented.

Elizabeth gave him a grin and he could have sworn she blushed a little bit. It amazed him that he could still make her blush. He hoped he could still spark that in her in years to come. "You don't look so bad yourself," she giggled.

Smiling, he looked down at his own attire. He was wearing a very smart suit. He was wearing black slacks with a matching black jacket, a white shirt and a black pinned-striped tie with black shoes.

Grinning, he held out his arm for her to take, which she did willingly. "So, what made you want to go out tonight?" She asked curiously as they began walking out of their bedroom.

John just looked at her. "What, can I not take my beautiful girlfriend, the mother of my child, out to dinner?"

Elizabeth pursed her lips. "I suppose," she grinned. "So, where are we going?" She asked as they walked into the living room and over towards the front door.

"Roberto's," he said simply.

"John it's impossible to get a reservation there," she said in disbelief.

"Not impossible for me," he grinned when she rolled her eyes, smiling.

He opened the door to their apartment and let her go out first. When they had both walked out, he shut the door behind him and locked it. Gripping her small hand in his bigger one, they began walking down the hall. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth had tears running down her face as she just stared at John. He was kneeling down on one knee and had a velvet box in his hands. Her heart was racing with the thought of what was about to happen. Everyone was staring at them and no matter how uncomfortable all the staring made her feel she knew she wouldn't trade this moment.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard him speak. "'Lizabeth, baby… we've known each other for nearly five years, and from the very first moment that I saw you… I knew I was never going to want to be with anyone else. I know I don't have much to offer you, except all my love," He reached out and grabbed her hand, "'Lizabeth… will you marry me?" He asked hopeful.

Her heart constricted in her chest at what he had just asked her. She couldn't believe he had asked her to marry him. She didn't think things could get any more perfect.

She locked eyes with him as the tears continued to spill down her cheeks. She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, so she could give him her answer, but she couldn't, so she nodded her head instead and lunged into his arms. She held onto him tight and pressed a kiss to his neck as the whole room began applauding.

"So, I take that as a yes?" He softly murmured.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, of course I'll marry you," she pulled back and gave him a smile. John grinned as he slipped the ring onto her ring finger. Elizabeth smiled as she looked down at the gold band that now donned her left hand. It was a princess cut – a big diamond in the middle with a smaller diamond on either side. "It's beautiful," she softly murmured, smiling as John helped her back into her chair.

"I love you, 'Lizabeth," he said passionately as he crushed his lips against hers.

"I love you, too, John," she mumbled against his mouth.

John smiled as he sat back in his own seat. Reaching her hand across the table, she smiled when John linked his fingers with hers. She rested her other hand against her bump, gently rubbing it along it.

It had taken a long time for them to get to this point in their relationship, but she had no doubt that from now on things would be looking up.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	27. Chapter 27

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**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

"So, did you do it?" Ronon asked him from across his desk.

John looked up to face his partner and gave him a big grin. "Last night," he said simply.

"And what did she say?" Ronon asked. Even though, John was fairly certain that he already knew the answer to that.

"She said yes," his grin grew even bigger at that fact. He felt like he was the luckiest guy on earth. He was still a little surprised that Elizabeth had agreed to marry him. Even though, they had been heading in that direction ever since they had confessed their love for one another.

"Congrats man," Ronon smiled.

John let out a small sigh before answering again. "Thanks… I'm still a little shocked that she said yes, but only because I love her so much… and just the thought of her with someone else… kills me," he admitted to his friend.

Ronon chuckled. "I don't think you have to worry about that, Sheppard. No one has caught, Elizabeth's eye quite like you have," he reassured.

John gave his friend a genuine smile, nodding his head in thanks. Even though, everything that had happened over the last two years was out in the open and things seemed to be getting back on track, he still had a lot on his mind – Mainly the investigation into Elizabeth's rape. He hadn't heard anything about it. Not since Ronon had come to visit them and tell them that Michael was dead. That was over a week ago, so now he was curious about how it was going.

"So… how is, Elizabeth's… case going?" He asked curiously, but cautiously. He was terrified of his partners answer, even more so when he gave him a not so enthusiastic look.

"Not so good to be honest. We've been searching our databases for an, Augustus Kolya, but so far nothing, not even a parking ticket, has come up about him. As far as anyone is concerned… he's a stand-up guy who loves his job, which was why he was offered the promotion in Europe, which he took. There's nothing to say that he has done this before…" Ronon trailed off, sighing.

John glared at his partner. He got the feeling that Ronon didn't believe Elizabeth. "Are you calling, Elizabeth a liar?" He growled out.

"What? Of course not!" Ronon looked offended. "Of course I believe her. We all do. The note that was sent to you proved that!" He exclaimed. "It's just that, his last employers won't give us access to their records and Caldwell's having a hard time getting a subpoena because of the lack of evidence."

"That's it!" John exclaimed, looking at his partner.

"What?" Ronon frowned.

"The note! We need to go back and check each piece of evidence over again… thoroughly. We need to check all the security footage that goes back over the last year at the most."

"Why the last year?" Ronon wondered.

"Well, who's to say that he hadn't been planning this for a while? Maybe if we catch him, he'll be able to give us, Augustus Kolya," John said a little enthusiastically. "We need to check the footage from here, our apartment building and down at the lab and the morgue." His friend just looked at him. "There could be something that we missed." John shrugged his shoulders.

He usually didn't get his hopes up about anything that had to do with evidence, but maybe, just maybe, they might actually find something that could lead them to the person who had started this mystery. If they could find him then they could get a subpoena for Augustus Kolya's records, then they would be able to find him and hopefully get him extradited back to the States.

"Okay," Ronon nodded. "But you know you can't help with the case because of personal involvement-"

"But-" John cut him off, but then Ronon cut him off by holding up a hand.

"Unless you want any evidence we do find thrown out? Then I suggest you let us do our jobs… okay?" Ronon said firmly, raising a bushy eyebrow.

Sighing, John nodded… albeit reluctantly. "Fine," he muttered.

He knew Ronon was right. If they did happen to find evidence and he was involved then it would more than likely be thrown out of court. He knew the defence would end up making it look like he had fabricated it. He couldn't have that happen, so he would help subtly, while focusing most of his time and energy on Elizabeth and their unborn child.

John came out of his thoughts when he heard Captain O'Neill shouting into the bullpen from his office. "Dex, Sheppard, we got a vic! Same MO!"

"Whereabouts, Cap?" John asked.

O'Neill looked down at a piece of paper in his hand. "New York's Public Library!" He told them.

John nodded as he picked up his jacket and followed his partner out of the bullpen.

**~xoXox~**

Walking into the library, John headed over to where Elizabeth was standing, examining the body. She looked like she had just gotten here. She hadn't even put her gloves on yet. Apparently it was their third victim in the last two days. Ronon had briefed him on it when he had gotten into work this morning.

He was glad he was on this case because he couldn't wait to catch the sick fuck that was doing this.

His stomach churned as he let his gaze settle on the poor victim. She was hanging from one of the railings on the upper floor. She had long cuts all over her body. Random pieces of paper were also stuck on her now pale and marred flesh, the blood soaking through them. When he reached Elizabeth, he could see there was writing on them. He then noticed that there were books scattered everywhere around the victim. What the hell was going on? He seemed to be stepping up the psycho ladder.

John stood beside his fiancée. "What do we have?" He asked as he stepped closer to investigate the body more.

Elizabeth sighed, looking at him. "It's the same MO as the last two. I had a chance to look at the other victim's this morning and read over their case files," she paused for a moment before continuing. "She was raped then cut up using a sharp blade… I would say it was the same one that was used on all the other victims – a scalpel… then after he tortured her some more, he hung her up… post-mortem. The bits of paper are new, though… apparently." She sighed a little.

John looked at her with concern. He gently ran his hand up and down her back. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" He asked softly, so no one else would hear.

Elizabeth looked at him and gave him a soft smile. "I'm fine," she replied.

"Are you sure? Maybe you should have taken another week off?" He was worried that she hadn't had enough time to rest up. Maybe another week of bed rest would do her some good.

"I promise… I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things," she said reassuringly, giving him a small smile.

"You'll let me know if you need anything?" He asked.

"I always do," she smiled.

Grinning, he leaned down to give her a kiss, but stopped when she gave him the 'Not at work' look. "Sorry," he mumbled. Clearing his throat, he decided to get back onto the topic of the case. "So, were the pieces of paper all torn from the books?"

Elizabeth nodded. "They're all medical books. These pieces of paper are all torn out of important sections of the book."

John was about to say something else, but Ronon interrupted him. "Was there any ID found on her?" He asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "CSU found her purse thrown up on the second floor. Her name is, Louisa Sanchez." She paused for a moment. "She's a doctor… She works at, Mercy General."

"Looks like we're going to be making a little hospital visit," Ronon sighed.

John rolled his eyes at his partner as he walked off. "I'll see you later," he said softly as he leaned down and quickly pressed his lips against hers, stealing a kiss.

"John!" She exclaimed quietly, playfully swatting his chest.

John grinned. "I think I'll have to steal kisses more often. They're fun," he chuckled.

"You're terrible," she scolded. "At a crime scene?" He chuckled as he leaned in for another one, but she pulled away from him. "Uh-uh," she shook her head, raising a slender eyebrow.

John held his hands up in surrender. "Fine… I'm going," he mumbled. "I love you," he whispered.

She smiled. "I love you, too. You better go follow, Ronon," she pointed towards the exit.

"Take it easy," he said as he turned around and began walking out of the library.

**~xoXox~**

"Detective Sheppard, it's good to see you again." Doctor Beckett smiled as John walked into his office followed by Ronon.

"It's good to see you, too, Doctor," he returned his sentiment.

"How's Elizabeth doing?" He asked curiously, surveying him slightly.

He gave him a small smile as he sat down in the seat in front of his desk. Ronon sat down in the other seat beside him. "She's doing great, much better in fact," he reassured.

"That's good to hear," he smiled. "So, what brings you two detectives here anyway?" He asked curiously as he rested his arms against his desk and linked his fingers together.

"Louisa Sanchez," Ronon said simply.

"What about her?" He frowned.

"Doctor Warren, told us that you two were close," John pointed out.

The doctor in front of him nodded. "We are," he frowned slightly. "May I ask what this is about?" His eyes went wide a little. "Did something happen to her? Was she raped?" He asked in a hurried tone.

John sighed a little. He always hated this part, whether it was telling friends or family. "Doctor Beckett… I'm sorry to tell you that, Doctor Sanchez was murdered last night," he spoke in a soft tone.

The doctor's mouth dropped open and his eyes began to fill with tears. "M-murdered? D-does her husband… know?" He choked out.

"Two of our colleagues have informed him," Ronon reassured.

"I-I can't believe it," he shook his head slightly. "Who could do… such a thing?" He grimaced.

"That's what we were hoping you could tell us?" John looked at him, hoping that he would have any useful information.

He looked at him and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, did she have any enemies, anyone who might hold a grudge against her?" He asked his ballpoint pen and pad in hand.

"No, no… she was a very well-liked person. She never had any complaints."

"Not even when she lost a patient?" Ronon enquired.

John was curious about how the good doctor would answer that. There was no way that Missus Sanchez didn't have an enemy. Surely someone threatened her after she had lost a patient. John had seen grief-stricken people do some silly things in a high state of emotion.

"Sure, she had some people take their anger out on her, but no-one wanted to kill her. It's something that all doctors have to get used to and, Louisa took it in her stride," he explained.

John nodded as he scribbled his notes down on the paper. He was trying to get as much information about this latest victim as he could. He was hoping that she would have something in common with the other two victims that had been brutally murdered in the same way. There was no way that this was just random killings. There had to be a reason behind it and he was going to figure it out.

"Do you know of any hobbies that interested her?" John asked curiously.

Doctor Beckett sniffled. "There's a community centre not far from here that we both liked to go to on, Saturday's. It's an outreach programme for kids. It gets them off the streets and keeps them out of trouble," he explained. "Louisa really had a passion for kids, and she loved to help them whenever she could," he sniffled again. "In fact, her and her husband was trying for a… b-baby," he broke down. "I-I'm sorry," he apologised as he pulled a tissue out of a box of them that sat on his desk. He ran it over his eyes and then under his nose.

"Its fine," he reassured. He stood up from the chair and moved away from it. "I think that's all for now," he said.

Ronon stood up also. "Thank you for your time, and we're sorry," he said as he began walking towards the door.

John began following his partner when the doctor called him. "Detective!"

He stopped and looked at him. "Don't forget to remind, Elizabeth about her appointment on, February fifth." He reminded him.

He gave him a small smile. "I won't."

"And, detective – Catch the bastard that did this!" He said through gritted teeth.

"I'll try my hardest," he reassured as he walked out of his office.

**~xoXox~**

"When was the last time that you spoke to your wife?" Teyla asked curiously, looking at the victim's husband who was sitting across from her.

He sniffled and swallowed harshly. He ran his hands over his face as he looked at her. "Last night. She called just as she was leaving work." Tears ran down his face. "When she didn't come home two hours later… I got worried and began calling around, but nobody had seen her," he explained. "I called the police, but they said that they couldn't do nothing for twenty-four hours," he shook his head. "My wife is dead because they had to follow some damn regulation!" He yelled in frustration.

Teyla didn't even flinch at his tone. She was used to grief filled people acting like this. And he had every right to. His wife, the woman that he loved was dead and she wasn't ever coming back. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to know what he was feeling.

"I'm sorry for your loss," she said once again.

"'Sorry' isn't going to bring her back!" He exclaimed.

Evan sat forward a little more, so Teyla let him take the lead for a while. "Do you or your wife have any enemies?" He asked curiously.

"No – My wife is… was… a very well-liked person. Everyone loved her." He stood up from his spot on the couch and walked over to the mantle-piece. Teyla watched as he picked up a framed picture of their wedding day. "She was perfect," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Mister Sanchez, but I have to ask this – Could your wife have been having an affair?"

Tony Sanchez shot around and glared at Evan. If looks could kill then he would be dead and buried. "My wife was not like that. She was not that kind of person and I will not let you think otherwise," he growled. "I think you should go now!" He exclaimed through tears.

They both stood up. "Mister Sanchez, it's our job to ask," Teyla tried. "Please-"

He cut her off. "I said go!" He turned away from them.

She sighed slightly as she followed her partner out of the brownstone. She practically ran down the stone steps. "Well that was pointless," she said in frustration. She wanted to catch this killer more than anyone. Louisa Sanchez was the third victim and they still had no leads and no evidence.

"He's grieving, Teyla," Evan pointed out.

She stopped at the car door, her hand on the handle. "I know… I just want to catch the son-of-a-bitch. I'm so fed up of leadless cases!" She exclaimed as she climbed into the car and slammed the door behind her.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth sighed as she walked into the SVU bullpen. She could feel exhaustion beginning to creep up on her after a long day down at the morgue. She had been stooped over Louisa Sanchez's dead body most of the day, trying to find a single scrap of evidence that they could use in finding her killer. For some odd reason this case was really getting to her. She had no idea why.

She swallowed as she tightened her grip on the file in her hands. She walked over towards John's desk, smiling when she seen him walking down the stairs from the loft. When she reached his desk, she placed the file down on it and smiled when she felt him wrap his arms around her, pulling the side of her body up against his chest. "Hey baby," he said softly, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Hey sweetheart," she replied. Turning around, she looked at him and smiled. She leaned up and gave him a quick peck. "How's work going?" She asked curiously as she pulled out of his embrace and leaned against his desk.

John sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Long… I just hope that I'm going to be able to make it home tonight." Elizabeth nodded in understanding. She would much rather have John beside her in bed tonight that sleeping in the cribs at the precinct, but she understood that sometimes it came with the job. There were times when she had to stay at the morgue all night and he had never complained. "Did you find out how, Louisa Sanchez died?" John asked curiously.

Elizabeth nodded. "She died from asphyxiation. She had been raped and tortured repeatedly before being strangled," she explained. She turned a little and picked up the file. Opening it, she pulled out a picture. "The bruises around her wrists suggest that she was bound while he was cutting her up." She showed John and Ronon.

Ronon just looked at her. "So, she was alive when he inflicted all those?" He asked in slight disbelief as he aimed his hand towards another picture that showed the deep lacerations.

"Afraid so," she sighed. "There are a total of forty cuts… all on her chest, stomach, legs and back. The only place he didn't cut her was her face," she shook her head slightly at the needless act of aggression towards the lifeless woman. She didn't understand what could have made someone have so much hate that it would make them do this.

She placed the picture back in the file and left it back down on John's desk. Yawning a little, she ran a hand over her tired eyes, trying to keep her exhaustion at bay. All she wanted to do was go home and collapse into bed. The further she got into her pregnancy the more tired she seemed to get.

"Are you okay, baby?" John asked concerned. He reached a hand out and linked his fingers with hers.

She nodded. "Just a little tired." She smiled a little.

He nodded a little. "Do you wanna grab some lunch while I have some free time?" He asked curiously.

Elizabeth gave him a smile and nodded. "Sure, I could use a break. I need to get this case off my mind for a while," she said.

"Same," John admitted. "Ronon, are you coming, man?" He asked his partner.

Ronon looked at the both of them. "Nah, I'm just gonna stay here and go over the evidence. Thanks, though," he smiled. "Just bring me back some coffee."

"Will do," John said as he began leading her out of the bullpen.

Elizabeth smiled and sighed in contentment as she slipped her arm around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder.

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**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	28. Chapter 28

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**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

John yawned as he walked out of the bathroom with a white, fluffy towel wrapped around his waist. He was absolutely beat. It was heading towards 06:30am, and he just couldn't wait to fall into bed. His comfortable bed seemed to beckon him forward with the promise of a few hours of undisturbed sleep. Well, he hoped it would be undisturbed anyway. He knew he could easily get a call out again.

He ran a hand over his damp hair as he let his gaze settle on Elizabeth's sleeping form. She looked so peaceful. She was on her side, facing away from him. He couldn't wait to crawl in beside her and just cuddle with her. He had missed her today, or should he say yesterday? Or both?

They hadn't seen each other since yesterday afternoon for lunch. He had called her periodically throughout the day, though, to make sure that she had been alright. God, he hated to be away from her, and he had a feeling that there were going to be many more nights of him coming home late until they finally solved this frustrating case they were all currently working on.

It really was one of the more annoying cases he had worked on. The lack of evidence and eyewitness' was slowly driving them all insane. Louisa Sanchez had been the third victim in the strange string of killings and they weren't any closer to finding a suspect than they were when the first murder had occurred. The victims just seemed to be picked randomly out of the crowd. There was no preference to race, hair colour, eye colour, age… nothing. It was just a string of random killings with the same MO.

One thing he did know for certain, though, that whoever was doing this was seriously fucked up. If raping them wasn't bad enough, the sick fuck had to torture them, too. It was disgusting and he couldn't wait to collar the bastard that was doing it.

Sighing, he came out of his thoughts and tried to push the case and work to the back of his mind. He wanted to sleep peacefully, not restlessly. Dropping his towel, he gently rolled down the covers and quietly climbed into bed. He knocked off his lamp, surprised that the light hadn't woken his sleeping beauty when he had turned it on in the first place.

As he lay down, he let out a soft moan of satisfaction when he began to sink into the mattress. It felt like heaven. He pulled the covers up over him and scooted over to Elizabeth. Just as he was about to wrap his arm around her, Elizabeth groaned and rolled over and faced him. She reached out her hand and began feeling around, her fingers skimming his chest. She hadn't opened her eyes, though. He gripped her hand in his larger one and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, murmuring, "go back to sleep." She nodded her head and before he could settle himself, she was snoring softly again.

He had to hold back a slight chuckle at his beautiful fiancée. It amazed him how she was so easily able to fall back to sleep. Although, he supposed that her current work load – which he did not like, he might add – and her pregnancy might also factor into her ability to sleep peacefully. Just a few months ago, she had been a fitful sleeper, waking up in the middle of the night almost every night. Now though, since things had started to calm down and they had settled back into a more relaxed relationship, she had been sleeping contentedly.

And just watching her here and now, seemed to make all the worries that he had had over the last several months just simply wash away, and it felt so good.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth smiled as she leaned down and pressed her lips softly against John's. She placed her hand against his chest and gently shook him. "Time to get up, baby," she pecked his lips again.

John groaned and shifted a little. He opened his eyes and squinted up at her. "What time is it?" He mumbled, his eyes closing again.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, continuing to rub her hand along his chest. "Four-thirty," she said simply.

John's eyes shot open and he just looked at her. "What?" His brow furrowed slightly.

She grinned as she patted his bare chest, enjoying the feel of him beneath her fingers. "Come on, time for dinner." She got up from her spot on the bed and walked out of the bedroom.

Entering the kitchen, she walked over to the cupboard and pulled down two glasses. She sat them down on the counter and then went to the fridge, pulling out a carton of orange juice and a bottle of Pepsi. She filled her glass up with orange juice and John's glass up with Pepsi before setting them on the table beside their plates.

She grinned when John walked into the kitchen. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt with his grey hoodie and a pair of jeans. He didn't have his sneakers on yet, though. "Something smells good," he complimented.

"Thanks," she smiled. She had made his favourite, hoping to fill him up before he had to go back to work. She knew that he probably hadn't had anything decent to eat since lunch yesterday, so she had made sure to put plenty on his plate.

John walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She gave him a dazed smile when he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. "Good morning," he kissed her again. She giggled. "Or should I say good evening?" He asked playfully as he pressed another kiss to her soft lips. He pulled back and leaned down to press a kiss to the swell of her stomach. "I can't believe you let me sleep that long." He said, moving to sit down at the table.

Elizabeth moved to her seat and sat down across from him. "Well, I know you only got in this morning, and besides, you looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake you up." She smiled.

"Well, thank you," he smiled. He took a bite of his food and moaned in satisfaction. "This is really good, baby," he complimented again. She just smiled as she began eating her dinner.

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed before they spoke again. "Uh, Jack called… He wants you to go into the precinct around eight," she relayed John's Captain's message.

John nodded with a small sigh. "I guess I won't be home tonight… again," he muttered, looking at her apologetically.

Elizabeth reached across the table and gripped his hand. "I understand," she gave him a reassuringly smile. "You have to do your job."

He just nodded a little. "Did you go into work today?" He asked curiously, shoving a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

"Yeah, I went in this morning for a few hours to finish up some paperwork. Sam sent me home at around one, though."

John looked at her, worry immediately creasing his brow. "Why? Is something wrong? Are you okay?" He sucked in a breath. "Is the baby okay?"

Elizabeth giggled a little. "Relax John. Everything's fine… There just wasn't anything for me to do," she shrugged her shoulders. "Sam brought in another M.E. for a trial. She's already looking for replacements for me for when I go on maternity leave," she muttered.

When she had gone into work this morning, she had felt kind of put out when Sam, her boss, had sprung the news on her. She understood that she would have to be replaced when she went on maternity leave, but she didn't think her boss would have started looking so soon.

"Are you okay with that?" John asked curiously.

She sighed, trying to not let her emotions get the best of her. "I guess."

"You don't sound sure," he pointed out.

She bit her lip and looked at him. "Well… it's just that… I won't get to hardly work any cases anymore. I mean… I understand that she has to find a temporary replacement for me when I go on maternity leave, but I just didn't think that it would happen so soon," she explained. "I just hope that it's temporary." She didn't want to go on maternity leave and then find out that she had lost her job!

"Of course it will be, and as for not working so much cases… Baby, I think that's a good thing," John said softly.

She glared at him. "What, do you not want me working with you anymore?" She yanked her hand away from his and crossed her arms. It would seem as if her hormones were acting up again. She sighed at herself.

"Of course I do. I just think that with all that's happened… that a slower pace might be good for you… and the baby," he explained patiently.

She pursed her lips, but didn't look at him. He had used the 'baby card'… again. She knew he had a point, but she just loved her job so much. She hated the thought of being replaced.

"You know… you only have so many of those 'baby cards' left mister, so use them wisely," she playfully teased, her mood brightening again.

John chuckled. "I thought I had an infinite amount."

"I think I may have been rash in that decision," she giggled, knowing that she would do anything for their unborn child, and that the 'baby card' was just a playful joke between them.

"Well, I already know what I'm using my next one on," he grinned.

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Can't tell you… That would ruin the secret."

She playfully rolled her eyes.

And just like that, they were back to normal.

**~xoXox~**

_February 6__th__. Five months pregnant._

Elizabeth shifted in the small seat as she tried to get comfortable, but to no avail. She cursed the seats in the movie theatre. They were not made for pregnant women in mind. She grumbled, muttering a few unintelligible swear words under her breath. Didn't people know that it was almost impossible for a pregnant woman to sit in the same position for more than half an hour?

She shifted again, grimacing as the armrest began digging into her stomach because of the awkward position that she was currently sitting in. She was almost on her side. She rolled her eyes when she received a disapproving glance from a couple four seats away from her and John.

Come on, she wasn't making that much noise. In fact, she wasn't making any. All she was trying to do was get comfortable in the damn seat!

She sighed, groaning a little. The little life inside of her was really moving about. Despite not being able to get comfortable, a small smile crossed her face. The baby hadn't kicked yet, even though, she wished that it would just happen already – she was getting a little impatient. She really wanted to feel it. She was glad to feel movements, though because it meant that their baby was perfectly fine and _very _active.

"Are you okay, baby?" John whispered, dragging her attention to him. She hated to disturb him. She knew that he was really interested in the movie, even though it had just started twenty minutes ago. It was some action movie that he had been dying to see for weeks.

She gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to get comfortable," she whispered back.

John chuckled a little as he moved the armrest out of the way. "Come here." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side.

Elizabeth rested her head against his chest and slipped one arm across his abdomen. "I'm sorry. The baby's just moving around a lot," she smiled, placing her other hand against her bump.

"Do you want to go?" He asked curiously, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Her heart fluttered a little at his attentiveness. There wasn't even a hint of annoyance in his voice. She knew how much he really wanted to see this movie, yet he was willing to just up and leave because she was feeling uncomfortable in the seat. He really was too good to her.

Elizabeth shook her head no and gripped onto his hoodie as she shifted just a little bit closer to him. "No, no, I'm fine now," she whispered.

"Just let me know if you want to leave and we'll go at any time." He placed his other hand against her swollen five month bump.

She nodded her head, smiling at the soothing motions his warm hand was now making on her stomach. Feeling a little more settled now, she relaxed and began watching the movie.

Just as she was really getting into the movie – surprisingly enough – something distracted her, the movie no longer holding her attention. She unhooked her arm from around John and placed her hand against her bump. Tilting her head, she looked up at John who was looking down at her with widened eyes. "D-did you feel that?" She asked.

He nodded his head, a look of disbelief crossing his face. "Our baby just kicked!" He exclaimed rather loudly.

"Shh!" The woman four seats down glared at them.

"Oh shush yourself." He sat forward and scowled slightly at the woman. "Our baby just kicked!" He practically squealed.

Elizabeth giggled, covering her face with her hands when the other movie goers directed their attention away from the giant screen towards them. They stared at them for a few moments before turning away. "John," she whispered. He didn't look at her because he was too busy pressing kisses to her stomach. "I take it you're not interested in the movie anymore?" She grinned.

This time John did look at her. "I can see it on DVD," he grinned. "This is more important." He rubbed her belly.

She giggled some more. "I think our baby really likes the attention." She rubbed her stomach when she felt another kick.

She sighed in content.

A kick!

Their baby had just kicked and it had felt absolutely amazing. No, amazing wasn't the word. It was… She didn't think there was even a word to describe how wonderful it felt. Right now amazing seemed to be the only word that fit. Well, until she could find a better one anyway.

"It's pretty amazing, huh?" She smiled at John, running her hand along the top of his head.

He sat back up and grinned. "Words can't even describe." He pressed his hand against her bump once again.

**~xoXox~**

"I can't believe our baby kicked," John said excitedly as he walked out of the movie theatre hand in hand with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looked at him and gave him a beaming smile. "I know… it's so… unreal," she said, a hint of amazement still in her voice. "I mean the baby's kicking right now, and… it feels kinda weird, but good," she explained and placed her hand on her stomach.

John looked at his beloved as they stepped out onto the crowded street, the warm spring sun attacking them. "Does it hurt?" He asked a little worriedly. He hated the thought of it hurting her every time the baby kicked, but he knew that even if it did she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

She shook her head 'no.' "No, it doesn't – well, not really – but I do think we may have a soccer player on our hands," she grinned.

Chuckling, he unclasped his hand from hers and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. "And why is that?" He asked in amusement.

"I'm telling you… this baby has some pretty powerful kicks." She exclaimed as she moved her right hand and placed it against the right side of her bump where the baby's feet were. He smiled a little at the look of happiness on Elizabeth's glowing face. The baby must have kicked again.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked down along the sidewalk, weaving their way through the throngs of people. John pressed a kiss to Elizabeth's head as he silently mused to himself. He once again wondered who the baby would take after. He wondered what kind of personalities they would have. Would he or she be feisty, yet warm and kind hearted like Elizabeth? Or would they show a tough exterior, but be cuddly and warm on the inside like him?

Yes, he was cuddly and warm. Well around Elizabeth anyway, which had come as quite a shock to the both of them when they had first met each other. Why? Because 'warm' and 'cuddly' were not words John Sheppard would use to describe himself, yet around Elizabeth he couldn't help but be both warm and cuddly, and even a bit emotional sometimes. She had truly brought out the best in him and he was going to prove that he could be the best father and husband that Elizabeth and their baby deserved.

If he had to quit his job to prove that his family came first then he would. He knew Elizabeth would never ask him to do that, and he did love his job, but family came first. And that fact surprised him even more because five years ago he wouldn't have even thought about quitting his job for a woman. Hell, he hadn't even thought about having children! But again that was because of Elizabeth. She had changed him so much over the last several years. The moment he had laid eyes on her was the moment that he had started thinking about having a family and settling down. Of course Elizabeth had been the only one he would have even thought of doing that with, and the fact that his wildest dreams had come true still left him mind-boggled sometimes.

And he knew he had said it before, and he had thought it before, and he had explained it before, but he truly felt like he was the luckiest man on the planet. After everything that had happened over the last seven months, they had become stronger for it. They had defied people's expectations. They had defied _Michael's_ expectations. They had lived, loved and cherished despite everything.

"…to do?" He felt a poke in his side, which brought him out of his thoughts. "John?"

John looked down with a slight frown. He locked eyes with Elizabeth who was staring at him with an expectant look. "Huh?" He asked, not having heard what she had said. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and he sighed a little. Uh-oh, he was in trouble now. Elizabeth hated it when he didn't listen to her.

"I said what do you want to do?" She asked curiously, still looking at him. She didn't sound annoyed at the fact that he hadn't heard her ask him the first time. Maybe he was getting away with it.

"Um… well I don't want to go home yet," he said softly, stopping in his tracks. He let go of Elizabeth for a moment and looked at his watch. "It's only three-thirty. I think we have time to do something else." He wrapped his arm back around her.

"Well, what to do you wanna do?" Elizabeth asked curiously as they began walking back down along the sidewalk.

John pursed his lips as he thought. He hadn't really planned today out. He was kind of just winging it when it came to doing things. First they had had a nice lunch, and then they had gone to see a movie. He knew he could take her to dinner, but he didn't want to have dinner too early. So, he tried to think of something else they could do in the meantime.

His eyes widened slightly when he seen a sign for paintballing. He would love to go paintballing, but of course he couldn't. It would be way too dangerous for Elizabeth to do when she's pregnant. They had gone once years ago and he had enjoyed doing it with Elizabeth.

"We should go paintballing," he said out of the blue.

Elizabeth just looked at him. "Uh… you do remember I'm pregnant, right?" She pointed to her stomach.

He smiled and rolled his eyes playfully. "I meant after you have the baby."

"I don't know… I still remember how much it hurt the last time," she unconsciously rubbed her left thigh.

John chuckled. "Maybe… but you did have fun."

Elizabeth looked at him with a smile. "True, but since that's out of the question for a while, what do you want to do now?" She asked again.

"I don't know," he sighed a little. "What do you wanna do?" He asked.

Elizabeth gave him a grin, and he was almost sorry he asked. "Baby shopping!" She exclaimed.

"You're already pregnant. Why do you want to shop for a baby?" He playfully teased.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't we already have enough stuff for the baby?" He asked as Elizabeth began tugging him towards the nearest baby shop.

Elizabeth looked at him and gave him a big grin. "When it comes to babies you can never have too much stuff."

"Okay, but we don't even know the gender," he pointed out.

"But we will tomorrow!" She stated, slowing down as they neared the 'Baby Shack' store. Elizabeth loved this particular baby store because you could everything you needed for your baby at a discount price, which meant John loved it, too.

He wanted nothing but the best for their baby, but fifty dollars on a baby's all-in-one was a bit much, especially since you could get ten all-in-ones in this place for fifty bucks.

"So you want to know the sex of the baby then?" He asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "I think we have enough mystery in our life right now to last us a life time," she explained. "But, we'll only find out if you want to know, too."

John gave his beautiful fiancée a warm, reassuring smile. At first he didn't want to know the gender of the baby because both he and Elizabeth had agreed for it to be a surprise, but now he really did want to know. He found that he couldn't wait another four months, and Elizabeth was right. They did have enough mystery in their life right now to last them a life time. "I want to know, too," he reassured. "So, how about we wait and do the baby shopping tomorrow after we find out if it's a boy or a girl?" He bargained.

"You know what… that might be better. If it's a girl we can get loads of cute, frilly little dresses and if it's a boy I seen a cute little 'Knicks' jersey that I'm going to get," she said excitedly.

John chuckled at her obvious excitement, but he did feel the need to point out one thing. "If it's a girl, she's gonna have a 'Knicks' jersey."

Elizabeth giggled a little. "So what are we going to do then?"

"How about we have an early dinner, then we go home and snuggle up and watch some movies?" He suggested. "We can stop at the movie store and pick up some DVD's and then go to the grocery to get some snacks for after dinner," he sweetened the deal. He knew she wouldn't turn down a night of movies and cuddles.

"Hmm, I like that idea." She slipped her arm around his waist and buried her head in his side.

John groaned when he heard his phone ringing. "I hope this isn't work," he muttered. Today was his day off and he was looking forward to going to dinner with Elizabeth and then back home to watch some movies. When he pulled his phone out of his pocket, he sighed when he seen Ronon's name flash across the screen. _Great,_ he thought frustratingly to himself. "Hello?" He asked.

"_John, we got a case,"_ Ronon spoke into the other end.

"It's my day off, Ronon!" He stated firmly. Couldn't someone else take the case? Teyla and Evan were the Captain's favourite. Why couldn't they handle it? Today was the first day in weeks where he got to spend more than an hour with Elizabeth.

"_I know, but O'Neill wants us all on this. It's another victim with the same MO as the others,"_ he explained.

John sighed. "Okay, I'll be in soon."

"_Actually, you should just go straight to the crime scene, and you'll probably need to bring, Elizabeth, too,"_ he said.

"Where's the crime scene?" He asked.

There was a slight pause. _"In the middle of Central Park,"_ Ronon said.

"We'll be there soon," he said before hanging up.

Shoving his phone back into his pocket, he looked at Elizabeth who was just getting off of her phone. They both gave each other apologetic looks. "That was, Barry… I've got a crime scene." She frowned a little.

John just nodded, knowing how she felt. "That was, Ronon… vic in Central Park… Is that where yours is?" He asked, but he was fairly certain it was.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah… apparently, Sam wants me there." She let out a heavy sigh.

"Do you want me to drop you back home?" He asked.

"No, I can get a ride there with you. Barry will have everything set up for me and he'll have my equipment," she reassured.

"Well… at least we'll get to spend a little more time together before we have to work," he tried to sound optimistic, but this day was not turning out how he had hoped it would.

Elizabeth linked her fingers with his. "Come on, the sooner we get crackin' on this case, the sooner we can get home." She began pulling him in the opposite direction back towards his car.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth felt the warm, evening sun beating down on her back as she crouched down beside the body. Amelia Wyatt was the latest victim in the long string of killings that had been happening lately. Sadly, the twenty year old college student was the eighth victim since the killings had begun. She was the fifth one in the last two weeks.

She really hated working this case. The lack of evidence was frustrating her and she had no doubt that it was just as frustrating for the detectives at SVU. Working this case often left her tired and moody at the end of the day. She couldn't wait till they found the asshole that was doing this.

She came out of her thoughts when she heard a familiar voice speaking. "What'd we got?" Teyla asked as she squatted down beside her and aimed one of her hands towards the victim that lay on the cold grass.

Elizabeth turned slightly and looked at her friend, sighing before answering. "Amelia Wyatt… twenty years old… College student." She gave the victim's details as she struggled to stand up. Teyla stood up and gave her a hand. Elizabeth gave her friend a grateful smile. "Thanks Teyla – can't seem to get up as fast as I used to," she smiled a little.

Teyla just gave her a soft smile. "Well you are getting big," she grinned.

"Have you seen, John?" Elizabeth asked, letting her eyes do a quick once over of the crime scene. As soon as they had gotten here, they had gone their separate ways. She knew he hadn't gone far, but she hadn't seen him since. She probably sounded clingy.

"He and, Ronon are looking for any eyewitness' that may have seen what happened here," she told her. Elizabeth just nodded and Teyla sighed. "So, what did happen here?" She asked, running a hand through her long, brown hair.

"Well, as far as I can tell… it's the same as the other seven… She was raped, tortured… then strangled." She explained her findings so far. "There are deep lacerations on her body, just like the others, but I won't be able to say how many until I get her back to the morgue and to also make sure that strangulation was the cause of death." She nodded to one of the techs, saying they could take the body.

Sighing, Teyla just nodded. "Five more victim's in two weeks… We have to find whoever's doing this… The papers are already calling him the 'Hangman Killer.'" She let out a frustrated breath.

Elizabeth nodded a little. "I think he's getting sloppy, though," she stated.

"How so?" Teyla frowned a little.

"Well, for one… he didn't hang her like he did the others. He just dumped her… sloppily. I'm hoping he got sloppy with cleaning the body as well and left some DNA behind." She finished. She hoped that this could be their big break in the case. Whoever was doing this definitely seemed to be getting sloppy. For one, he dumped the victim in the middle of Central Park. It was a lot more crowded than some of the other places the killer had dumped his victim's. Plus, he hadn't hung her like he had done the others. That was probably another mystery in-of-itself.

"Maybe," Teyla mused.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	29. Chapter 29

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**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Elizabeth dropped Amelia Wyatt's autopsy file down on Teyla's desk and placed a hand against the bottom of her back, feeling the ache from being stooped over the autopsy table for so long. She rested her other hand against her rounded stomach and shifted a little, taken by surprise when the baby kicked again. It was a powerful kick to say the baby had just started kicking earlier on today, but it was still amazing nonetheless.

She jumped a little, startled at the sound of her friend's voice coming from behind her. She turned and looked at her. "Amelia Wyatt's file?" She asked her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of what Elizabeth presumed to be coffee. She licked her lips a little, her mouth-watering at the thought of coffee. She hadn't had a taste of it in so long. She missed her caffeine.

"Yeah," she finally answered. "Finally finished the autopsy," she said in slight relief. While it was only respectful to do a proper and thorough autopsy, she couldn't help but feel some relief when she had finished it. Spending four hours stooped over a dead body doing an autopsy while five months pregnant was not something she enjoyed doing. It often left her feeling sore and stiff at the end of her shift. Like now, her back was killing her. Some slight ache was to be expected because of her pregnancy, but most of it stemmed from hours of being hunched over and on her feet, which were swollen she might add.

"Find anything useful?" Teyla asked while taking a sip of her drink.

Elizabeth nodded, her hand rubbing soothing circles across her stomach. "A few things," she answered in return.

"Oh, like what?" Teyla asked curiously, shifting slightly.

Sighing a little, she turned and picked the file up off of Teyla's desk. "I did find one thing quite peculiar – Actually make that two things." Her brows knitted together for a moment in thought.

"What?" The detective asked, stepping closer to her.

"First, I found disinfectant on the body," she said simply.

"Disinfectant?" Teyla asked, cocking an eyebrow. "How's that peculiar? I thought that was how he was cleaning any evidence off the bodies?" She asked, sounding just a little bit sceptical.

Elizabeth shook her head a little, her dampened curls from the rain outside swaying around her face slightly. "It is, but this wasn't just any disinfectant. It was a particular brand… one only used in sterilizing medical equipment and hospital operating rooms," she explained some of her findings.

"So… we're looking for a doctor then?" She asked, her brows coming together in slight confusion.

Nodding her head, she shifted a little again, tiredness washing through her. "Or someone who's connected to the medical industry. It doesn't necessarily have to be a doctor," she pointed out.

"And you're sure it's the same person doing all this and not a copycat? Because she wasn't hung like the rest and different disinfectant was used," Evan pointed out, deciding to drop into the conversation as he walked down from the lounge. She sighed slightly, hoping that she wouldn't have to explain everything again and that he had either heard most of it or that Teyla would explain it to him later.

"Well, cause of death was asphyxiation. She was raped repeatedly and then he cut her up before killing her. The markings around the neck on this victim are a little different, though." She pulled a close up of the victim's bruised neck out of the file in her hands.

"How so?" Teyla asked, her brows knitting together, but Elizabeth could see a slightly hopeful look in her friend's eyes.

"See here," she pointed to an area of pale and discoloured flesh around the victim's neck, showing the picture to the two detectives. She had no idea where Ronon was. "It looks like finger markings. I think he used his hands to strangle her first and then used a belt to try and cover it up." She explained her latest findings, hoping that what she had discovered might help the detectives with finding whoever was doing this. "As for the copycat part… I can't tell you. You'll have to figure that out, but if it's the same person, which I think it is… then he needs to be stopped… soon. By the markings on her neck, he's losing his temper and he's getting rougher," she finished. Closing the file, she placed it back on Teyla's desk.

"Thanks Elizabeth," Teyla said, giving her a soft smile.

Elizabeth gave her head a light nod and returned her friends smile. "Where's John?" She asked curiously, looking around the bullpen.

"In the cribs trying to catch some sleep," Evan said.

Sighing slightly, she clasped her hands together. "Well, goodnight. I'm just gonna go see, John before I head home." She turned away from them and began walking towards the cribs, hoping that John wouldn't mind being woken up.

She really needed to say 'hello' to him. She had missed him terribly today, partly because they had been having such a wonderful time together before getting called out on a case. Now, she was sure that he wouldn't be home tonight. She didn't mind too much because she knew he was just doing his job, just like she had been doing. The only thing was, was that she got to go home now to an empty bed and he had to sleep in the cribs. It wasn't really fair.

It had been weeks since she had last had him all to herself for a whole night. She missed cuddling into his warm body and that feeling of protectiveness that she got every time he would wrap his arms around her and pull her impossibly closer.

Coming out of her thoughts, she opened the door to the cribs and walked in, gently shutting it behind her. She spotted John's bunk and walked over to it, smiling when she heard him softly snoring. She winced a little when the bunk let out a squeak when she sat on it. She decided that she didn't want to wake him up. He looked too adorable when he was asleep. Although, he would argue about that fact until he was blue in the face, but it was true. He was adorable. His mouth hung open slightly, and his left arm was thrown across his eyes while his right hung off the side of the bed. She grinned. Now she knew what he looked like asleep when she wasn't wrapped up in his arms.

She placed her hand against his chest and felt his heartbeat, the steady thrumming soothing her for a moment. She could stay here all night and watch him sleep, but of course she couldn't. She wasn't really sure if that would freak him out or not, but she was tired, too. She couldn't wait to get home and collapse into bed for the night.

She groaned a little at the thought of leaving him, something that she didn't want to do. With a sigh, she leaned down and gently brushed her lips across his cheek. "I love you," she whispered softly. As she was about to stand up, she flinched a little in surprise when she felt him grab her wrist.

She looked at him, and he just looked at her with a half-asleep gaze. "'Liz'beth?" He asked in confusion.

She nodded as she relaxed back down onto the mattress, the springs squeaking once again. "I'm here," she said softly, linking her fingers with his and resting their intertwined hands on his chest.

"What time is it?" He mumbled.

"Eleven-thirty," she said simply.

John sat up, letting go of her hand. She moved a little. "Crap! I was supposed to be up thirty minutes ago," he muttered to no-one in particular.

Elizabeth pressed her hand against John's chest. "It's okay, baby. Teyla and, Evan didn't seem to mind," she tried to reassure him.

He just nodded and placed his warm hand over hers. "How come you're down here so late, anyway?" He asked curiously, leaning over to give her lips a quick peck.

She gave him a soft smile. "Had to drop off, Amelia Wyatt's autopsy report… just got done with it," she said.

"Long autopsy?" He asked curiously, gently stroking her hand. He shifted and placed his other hand on her ever expanding stomach.

"Something like that," she mumbled. He looked at her curiously, so she decided to answer his question properly. "Well, by the time I got everything for the autopsy set up… it was five-thirty. I was a little bit slower getting things done today," she admitted sheepishly. She used to be able to do a thorough autopsy in half the time than what she was doing now. It was what made her good at her job and it got her respect as a good medical examiner.

The pregnancy was starting to take its toll on her, though. She was getting tired a lot more often and a lot quicker. In her heart, she knew that she had to slow down and work fewer hours, but she just had to make that fact register with her brain.

"You work too hard, baby," he said softly, pulling her to him. Elizabeth leaned against his chest and rested her head against his shoulder.

"I know… I'm thinking about asking, Sam to cut down my hours, maybe go to working half days," she sighed a little. "I don't know if she will or not… She's already cut down my hours some days for the new medical examiner." She snuggled into him a little bit more.

"She'll have to… The doctor told you, you had to take it easy… and I know you've been trying, but you need to relax more, baby." He spoke so softly, nothing but love filling his voice.

"I know… you're right."

"I am?" He asked, chuckling.

Elizabeth playfully swatted his chest and pointed her finger at him. "Don't get too cocky," she warned.

"I'm sorry," he apologised. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, feeling his laughter rumbling in his chest. He lay back down on the bed and pulled her with him.

"I thought you had to get up?" She asked, trying to sit up, but he pulled her back down towards him.

"They won't mind for another half an hour. I want to sleep with my beautiful fiancée for a while," he kissed her cheek.

"John, I can't stay in the cribs." She said.

"Just for half an hour… please?" He pleaded.

Rising her head, she stared down into his hazel eyes and saw nothing but love reflecting back. "Okay," she said softly as she leaned down and pressed her lips against his in a warm, soft kiss. She moved so she was lying beside him with her head resting against his shoulder and her arm thrown across his chest. "You better set your alarm because I won't wake up unless someone wakes me up," she mumbled, her eyes closed.

John chuckled. "I'll wake you up, baby," he reassured. She nodded and snuggled in closer to him, enjoying the warmth that was radiating off of his body. "How's the baby?" He placed his hand against her bump.

She grinned. "The baby's fine, kicking like crazy." She giggled when she felt another kick. "Did you feel that?" She asked curiously.

"I did," he said in amazement. "Oh, I love you so much, 'Lizabeth."

Tilting her head, she looked at him. "I love you, too." She whispered softly, smiling when his lips connected with hers. "I'm excited about tomorrow," she said as she pulled away from him and tilted her head to look at her stomach. She ran soothing circles along it.

"Me too," he admitted. "What do you think it'll be? A boy or a girl?" He asked curiously.

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "It could go either way."

**~xoXox~**

John walked into the precinct the next morning carrying coffees and Danishes. He had a smile on his face despite the dull air surrounding the squad room at the moment. Elizabeth had dropped by last night and he had enjoyed her company, holding her close while she had slept. It had only been for half an hour, but he had cherished every second of it. He hadn't spent a whole night with Elizabeth in weeks and he had missed her company so much. He couldn't wait until they closed this case.

Teyla had briefed him and Ronon last night about what Elizabeth had found on their latest victim and so, he was hoping that this new evidence would lead them somewhere. God, he prayed that it did. He didn't know how much longer he could take of this leadless case. It was beginning to drive everyone around the bend.

He came out of his thoughts when he stopped beside Ronon, his gaze turning towards the evidence board. His eyes widened slightly at what he saw. "What the hell is this?" John asked sharply, looking at his partner. He looked at the pictures stuck to it with Ronon's barely legible handwriting just under them. One of them stuck out like a sore thumb, though. It was Elizabeth, her hair perfectly straight and her make-up simple. The picture was the one that she used for her work ID, and the day that had been taken she had looked flawless. The other was Augustus Kolya, the son-of-a-bitch that had raped her!

Ronon looked at him and crossed his arms. "It's what we got so far on, Elizabeth's case," he said.

"W-why is it all stuck up there?" He asked, pointing to the board. "Everyone's gonna be up in our business!" He exclaimed, feeling upset at seeing his love's face up beside the man who had raped her. He didn't want everyone in their business, constantly asking them questions that had nothing to do with them. As far as he was concerned only five people needed to know – Ronon, Teyla, Evan, Caldwell and Captain O'Neill. It was no-one else's business after that. But now it was going to be.

"Look John, everyone already knows. You know gossip travels fast around here, but no-one thinks any less of, Elizabeth, knowing that she was raped. If anything… they want to help. I've already had three detectives asking me if I needed help," he explained to his friend.

John nodded and let out a heavy breath. "I'm sorry… It's just… having everyone know… feels weird, and I'm still trying to get used to it," he admitted. "I don't know how, Elizabeth's coping. I still have days where I can barely function with knowing what's happened to her." He shook his head slightly, a slight weight being lifted off of his shoulders as he talked to his friend. Things were finally good again between them and everything was falling into place somewhat, but he still had days where his guilt about never noticing the signs of abuse on Elizabeth still ate him alive. He was trying to get past it, though. It just wasn't as easy as people made it seem on television.

It was funny how his mood had suddenly shifted from being happy and content to upset and guilt ridden.

He honestly didn't know how Elizabeth was coping through it all. Although, he was fairly certain that it still affected her deeply and that she had rough days, too, where she had to put on a brave face. The only thing was, though, he didn't want her to have to keep doing that. He wanted her to be able to live everyday knowing that she was safe and free from the monsters of her past.

Ever since the incident after he had found out she had been raped, she had been doing a lot better, they had been doing a lot better. They had learned to be open with each other more and so far, it was working. Their relationship was probably the healthiest it'd ever been.

"Look, I know it's hard and that it's taken a long time to get here, but I dug a little deeper and went through the camera footage like you asked me to do. And while I didn't find a clear picture of whoever left those notes, I did find one from outside the lab the day the last note had been left for you," Ronon began explaining.

John's eyes widened slightly at what he had just heard. A small sliver of hope welled up inside of him. "What?" He asked, trying to sound as calm as possible and not let his emotions overcome him once again.

"It looks like a kid, maybe around fourteen, fifteen. I got a clear picture of his face and the school uniform he had been wearing," Ronon grinned a little.

"Have you interviewed him, yet?" He asked curiously. Letting out a heavy sigh, Ronon shook his head 'no.' John cocked his head a little. "Why not?" His eyebrows drew together.

"Well, it took me two weeks to get through all those tapes, and so by the time I found this kid," he pointed to a clear picture of a young boy on the evidence board. "He'd already gone on vacation with his parents and he won't be back for… two weeks," he mumbled the last part.

John gritted his teeth, trying to keep his temper under control. He knew that it wasn't his partner's fault and he didn't need to take his anger out on him. He was just so frustrated because they had finally gotten somewhere on Elizabeth's case, and the one person that could possibly lead them to whoever had sent those notes was out of the fucking country for two weeks!

"Okay, okay… two weeks," he sighed. "I think I can wait that long." He tried to reassure himself more than Ronon.

"You know you can't interview him, right." It was more of a statement than a question. John just nodded his head. Of course he knew, but that didn't mean he couldn't be standing on the other side of the glass while Ronon was doing the interrogating.

"I know," he said simply. Running a hand over his head, he began walking towards his desk. He pulled out his phone and dialled in the familiar number, wanting to call Elizabeth to make sure that she was doing okay.

He hoped she was doing fine. She had been so tired last night and it had taken him a while to wake her up after she had fallen asleep in the cribs. He had hated waking her up, but he knew she would have been more comfortable in their bed at home. He just hoped she had gotten a goodnight's sleep.

He also liked the idea that she was thinking of cutting down to working half days. He always worried about her terribly when she was working long hours down at the morgue. The doctor had told her to take it easy, and she had been trying, but she needed to relax more. He hoped cutting down her hours would help her relax. It wouldn't be long until she was giving birth to their baby.

That fact made his heart skip a beat. The thought of their baby being here in just four more months was a little daunting. He found himself suddenly hoping that he would be a good enough father to their child.

He hoped he would. He didn't know much about children, but he had Elizabeth and they were in this together, so he figured he'd be fine.

**~xoXox~**

"Okay, you're blood pressures up a little. Elizabeth have you been taking it easy?" Doctor Beckett asked, taking the cuff from around her arm.

Elizabeth nodded a little, feeling her heart drop at the fact that her blood pressure was up and that she hadn't been taking care of herself as much as she had thought she had been. "I've been trying. The last couple of weeks have been pretty stressful at work… I'm not gonna lie, but I've asked my boss to cut down my hours, so I'm only working half days," she explained to the man in front of her.

The doctor nodded and pursed his lips slightly. "I think that's best. If your blood pressure gets any higher it could harm the baby, and you. And we don't want that. Right now, you don't need any medication… I think rest will work for now, but you have to take it easy," he warned.

Elizabeth gulped a little, trying to hold back her tears. "I will," she whispered. She reached out and gripped John's hand, wanting that contact between them. She hoped that he didn't hate her because of what the doctor had just said.

"Everything will be fine, baby," he whispered as he leaned in and pressed his lips against the side of her head. She just nodded her head, wanting to believe him. She knew herself that she had to stop being so stubborn and take it easy.

"Okay… let's take a look at the baby." Doctor Beckett spoke in an excited voice.

Lying back on the bed, she pulled up her shirt, so it was resting just below her chest. She gasped a little when the doctor squirted the cold gel on her stomach. She held a tight grip on John's hand as they watched the monitor, waiting for the image of their baby to appear up on the screen.

She felt her eyes tear up some more when she saw the baby moving around up on the screen. The sight was so beautiful. Their baby had gotten so big in the last month.

"Well, everything appears to be okay. Your baby is perfectly healthy," he smiled. "Do you want to know the sex?" The doctor asked, looking at them both.

"Yes!" John exclaimed excitedly. Elizabeth smiled at his obvious excitement, beginning to feel a little better herself.

"Okay," he mumbled, moving the wand across her stomach some more, so he could get a clear image. "It looks like you're having a wee little… girl," he smiled.

"Yes," John did a slight fist pump. Both Elizabeth and the doctor looked at him. "What?" He asked, raising his shoulders a little. "So, I wanted a girl," he smiled.

Elizabeth giggled. "We're having a girl," she said in slight disbelief. "Wow." She looked at John and gave him a grin. A girl! Knowing the gender of their baby seemed to make everything that much more real.

She was excited to tell her friends.

But more importantly, she was excited because in four short months she would be giving birth to a beautiful baby girl.

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	30. Chapter 30

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**Chapter Thirty**

The spring sun beat down on him as he leaned against the cold building wall. He had the heel of his foot resting against it while his other stayed glued to the ground, supporting his weight. He shifted a little, tugging the peak of his cap when he seen the door across the street being pushed open. He held his head almost down, just holding it up enough, so he could see the people walking out of the building.

He bit his lip and then licked it, watching as she walked out of the building. His crazed eyes immediately landed on the swell of her stomach. He ground his teeth, his hands clenching and unclenching in anger as he watched her throw herself at the man who had followed her out.

He closed his eyes and sucked in a heavy breath through his nose, letting it pass slowly through his dried and cracked lips. The sight fucking repulsed him, made him want to puke!

That fucking bitch had gone and ruined everything for him. How the hell was he supposed to imagine being with her now? That slut had gone and gotten herself pregnant!

Bitch!

He sighed and tried to get a grip on his anger. He couldn't let it all out now. He could ruin everything he had worked so hard for. Those months of stalking them had been nothing compared to what he was doing now.

Now, he was having more fun.

But, those sluts that he had tried to enjoy had meant nothing to him! He hadn't cared what they had looked like because all he had to do was close his eyes and imagine her, imagine how she looked and smelled and…

He groaned in pleasure and frustration. His perception of her was changing. When he closed his eyes now, all he could see was her fat and pregnant! How the fuck was he supposed to enjoy that?

**~xoXox~**

John smiled as he let the tips of his fingers gently skim over the letters 'E-L-L-A' that were fancily painted on the white door. The pink letters made his heart skip a beat, a lump forming in his throat as tears began to sting his eyes. "Ella," he whispered in a murmur, a tear rolling down his cheek. Bringing his hand away from the door, he sniffled and wiped his eyes, laughing at himself and his silliness. He was crying over four letters!

He let out a heavy breath.

But those four letters meant everything to him, to them. It was the name of their child, his little girl. Ella Grace. It was so beautiful, and so… perfect.

"You okay?" A beautiful and familiar voice brought him out of his thoughts.

He let out a soft laugh as he looked at Elizabeth, who had concern written all over her face. "Yeah, I just… got caught up in the… moment," he shrugged his shoulders, as he looked fondly at the closed nursery door. "I mean, this is her room… It's her room!" He exclaimed in excitement and aimed his hands towards the door.

Elizabeth giggled. "I know, I can't wait to bring her home to it," she replied softly.

He smiled and held his arms open, feeling a warm sensation travel through his entire body when Elizabeth stepped into his embrace. "I know," he replied, tightening his hold on her. "I can't wait either," he admitted. Although, he had a feeling that Elizabeth already knew that. Finding out the gender of their baby and also having the name picked out made everything that more real, that more exciting. "Everything's gonna be perfect once she's home." He shifted one hand slightly and began rubbing the bottom of her back soothingly.

He knew her back ached sometimes, and as her pregnancy progressed it seemed to be getting worse. He had taken the time to read some baby books, so he knew that it was to be expected, but he just hated the fact that there was very little he could do. He always tried to help by giving her massages, but lately he hadn't been very good at doing that because of work. He let out a small sigh and rested his chin against the top of her head when she buried her face in the crook of his neck. He would have to make the time to take her out on a date and treat her. They hadn't been out on one since he had proposed.

They needed to get out more. Work usually kept them busy and because of that, it was always hard to make plans and stick to them, and when they were free they always spent their time together, but that was mostly at home or when they found the time to go out to lunch during work. The point was they needed to have a date night at least once a week, no matter what.

He came out of his thoughts when he heard her giggle. "You're forgetting one thing," she giggled some more.

Pulling back a little, he stared down into Elizabeth's gorgeous and addicting green eyes. "Oh, and what's that?" He asked curiously.

"No sleep," she stated laughter in her voice. "Will you think she's perfect then?" She titled her head some more.

John grinned. "Yes!" He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers in a loving kiss. "I won't mind getting up in the middle of the night with her," he pointed out with a smile. And he wouldn't mind. In fact, he was looking forward to all the late night diaper changes and late night feedings. He was going to experience and enjoy every moment of fatherhood.

"Me either." She kissed him again. "I think I'll be able to deal with the lack of sleep, just as long as I get to keep her close," she replied softly. He leaned down and pecked her lips again. "When should we tell the others?" She asked curiously, giving him a dazed smile.

"Well, it has been a few days. I think we should let them know," he said with a smile. They had wanted to wait a few days and let it soak in before they had told their friends the great news, but he knew that it was definitely time to tell them. They had been asking non-stop, but they had been holding off.

"I think you're right," she returned his smile.

"Come on," he said as he pulled out of her embrace and gripped her hand. "Let's go to bed." He began pulling her towards their room.

"John, it's only eight-thirty," she pointed out.

He chuckled a little and looked at her as they walked into their room. "I know, but I want to cuddle and watch a movie," he said softly. The look Elizabeth gave him was priceless, and it made his heart skip a beat. Her eyes shone nothing but love and happiness, and the joy he got from being able to give her that happiness and love was insurmountable, priceless.

He brought her over to their bed and gently pushed her down onto it. She giggled. "So, what are we gonna watch?" She asked curiously, resting her hands on his hips.

John just gave her a shrug of his shoulders and picked up her pyjama shorts and the NYPD t-shirt that she almost always wore to bed, and handed them to her. "You get changed and pick out a DVD, while I go make us something to eat." He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

"Okay," she whispered.

John gave her a quick kiss again before he pulled away from her completely and began padding his way across their bedroom towards the door. He was genuinely looking forward to cuddling with her tonight. It was the first night in weeks that he actually got to spend in bed with her, and if they couldn't go out, he was damn sure he was going to make the best of it.

**~xoXox~**

"Five more minutes," she mumbled, rolling away from the hand that was currently shaking her. She pulled her bed covers up over her head, blocking out the bright light that was currently blinding her eyes, even though, her lids were still closed.

"Come on, baby, it's time to get up." He chuckled. She groaned as he shook her again. "Come on," he whispered in her ear. Damn that voice! It was so tantalising. She let out a soft sigh and smiled. She loved it when he would whisper sweet nothings in her ear.

"Do I have to?" She whined, her voice slightly groggy. Even though, she had fallen asleep early last night, she was still really tired. The pregnancy was taking a lot out of her. _Maybe bed rest won't be so bad,_ she thought.

"Yes," he said simply.

"But I don't have work," she mumbled, hoping he would stop trying to get her up.

"I know." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "But I thought you wanted to come down to the precinct with me, and tell everyone our good news." He leaned over her and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.

She smiled against his mouth. "Okay," she sighed. "So, I suppose I have to get up?" She asked playfully, opening her eyes and rubbing them.

"Afraid so, sweetheart." He pulled the covers off of her and gently rubbed the swell of her stomach. "Breakfast's ready." He kissed her belly before pulling away from her. She couldn't help but smile.

Rolling onto her back, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and rested a hand on her bump as she watched John walking out of their bedroom. She smiled when she felt her little girl give a kick. "Good morning to you, too, sweet girl," she softly cooed to her stomach. She smiled when she felt another kick. God, it still felt amazing, no matter how many times she had felt it.

**~xoXox~**

"Your blood pressure's still up!" Teyla exclaimed. "I thought you were taking better care of yourself!" She scolded.

Elizabeth just looked at her friend, eyes a little wide. "I was – I mean… I am. Work's been so hectic lately that I let my health slip a little," she mumbled sheepishly. That was not something she was proud of, but she was working on it.

Teyla let out a sigh. "I think you should go on early maternity leave, or at least cut down," she explained, but before Elizabeth could say anything, she continued. "You've been through so much already, Elizabeth, and all that matters now is you and the baby. You need to cut out the stress, so you can keep your health up for your sake and the baby's," she said softly. "I know you've probably had this lecture from, John, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn't say anything?"

Elizabeth just nodded. She wasn't upset that Teyla had said something to her about it, but it hurt to hear it from someone else. "I know which is why I cut down to working half days, three days a week." She smiled a little, proud of herself for taking that step. It had taken a while for her to realise what she had been doing to herself and her baby, but now that she finally had, she could make everything better, right again.

"Good… I'm glad to hear it." She reached out and gave her shoulder a light squeeze before crossing her arms. "So, did the doctor give you medication to help with it?" She asked curiously. "Because I know someone who's stuck on the stuff because of high blood pressure," she pointed out somewhat randomly.

"No… thank God. He hopes that if I cut out the stress that it'll return to normal. I don't have a history of high blood pressure, so he wants to try and avoid medication," she explained.

"It's a bit risky, isn't it?" Teyla's eyebrows knitted together.

"It could be, but I really don't think it will be. I have to go back in two weeks, though, and if it still hasn't gone down then he's putting me on medication. I don't want that to happen, so I'll be working hard on getting it down," she explained.

"Good… good, I'm glad." Teyla smiled. "So, have you been going to your counselling sessions?" She asked curiously.

"Teyla!" Elizabeth whined, not wanting to talk about her therapy sessions or health issues any longer. "Don't you wanna hear my good news?" She asked, holding her hands out a little.

"Yes, yes, of course!" She exclaimed happily. "After I hear about how you've been doing with, Kate. John's been going with you, too, right?"

Sighing, she ran her hand across her forehead, trying to rub away the headache she was beginning to get. She knew Teyla was just trying to help and be a good friend, but God, it felt like she was being interrogated. All she wanted to do was share her good news and tell everyone that she was having a little girl and that she and John had her name picked out.

"Everything's been going good," she finally said. "We've been talking things out, and she's really been helping us with everything that's happened. It feels good to talk to someone, I guess." She gave a light shrug of her shoulders.

"That's great, Elizabeth. I'm glad you're doing well." Teyla seemed to be genuinely happy for her.

Elizabeth gave her friend a smile. "Now, do you want to hear what I've to tell you?"

Teyla grinned. "Are you finally going to tell me what you're having?" She asked excitedly. "Because, John won't tell me," she scowled a little.

Elizabeth chuckled a little. "Yes," she grinned. "We're having a girl!" She squealed out.

"Congratulations," Teyla said, embracing her in a gentle hug. "Do you have a name?" She asked, pulling away from her.

Running her hand along the swell of her stomach, she answered with, "we do."

"And?" She raised an eyebrow.

"We're calling her, Ella Grace."

**~xoXox~**

"So, how've you been handling the hormones?" Evan asked, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Has she been driving you crazy?" He asked with a chuckle as he leaned against the counter top.

John rolled his hazel eyes at his friend and his questions. "No, for your information, she hasn't been drivin' me crazy!" He stated, defending Elizabeth.

Evan raised a hand as if to defend himself. "Hey, just asking. I remember when, Laura was pregnant with, Maureen her hormones were all over the place. One minute she was happy, the next she was angry, and then she was horny." He shook his head a little. "The happy and the horny part I could handle, but when she got pissed – Man, did she get pissed!" He took a gulp of the caffeine filled drink.

"Oh, please elaborate," John said with a smirk, crossing his arms. He had to hear this.

"Okay, so one night, Laura comes up to me and asks me if she looks fat," he started. This was going to be good. John could tell. "I just looked at her, and she had me sleeping on the couch for a week!" Evan shook his head some more.

John started laughing at his friend. "Oh, that's funny," he laughed some more.

"Hey, I had back problems for weeks after that," he pointed out.

John tried in vain to stifle his laughter at his friend's idiocy. "When a woman asks you if she's fat, you answer 'no' straight away. It's like a reflex," he pointed out. "Never look at her before answerin', or else you'll find yourself sleepin' on the couch for a week." He snorted.

"Even I know that, and I've been divorced twice!" Ronon seemed to have the need to point out that fact as he sat down at the table with his coffee.

"Yeah, that's probably the reason you've been divorced twice," John pointed out.

"Touché, my brother," Ronon raised his cup. John just rolled his eyes at his partner.

"Please don't talk like that." John scowled, but Ronon just shrugged his shoulders.

"Anyway, back to what we were talking about. So, everything's going good?" Evan asked.

John nodded and crossed his arms. "Yeah, Elizabeth's finally gone down to working half days, and it's only three days a week, so I'm hopin' it will help her relax more. She's been way too stressed lately," he spoke. "It's not good for her or the baby," he said softly.

"Speaking of the baby," Ronon said. "Care to tell us what you're having?"

John grinned. "A girl," he said proudly. He couldn't wait to tell everyone. In fact, he just wanted to scream out to the whole of Manhattan at the top of his lungs.

"Well, good luck with that," Evan said, placing his cup on the counter.

"What's that suppose to mean?" John asked angrily, defending his unborn child.

"Look, I went through it with, Maureen and Hannah, and now I'm going through it with, Lily." He scrunched up his nose a little. John just looked at him with a pointed stare. "Boys!" He finally stated.

"Yeah, the only man that's gonna be in her life is me!" John exclaimed, pointing to himself.

"That's what I thought, too. When they reach around eleven or twelve that's when it starts. They barely want to be seen with you, let alone be called 'daddy's little girl.' And don't even get me started about when they hit puberty," he shook his head.

John scowled at his friend. He did not need to hear about how his little girl, who wasn't even born yet, was going to want nothing to do with him when she got older. The thought of his little girl not wanting anything to do with him broke his heart. Evan hadn't quite put it that way, but the thought was there now and it made him want to cry.

The big, bad John Sheppard wanted to cry over something that hadn't even happened yet, and might not. The thought of it was just simply heart breaking, and he couldn't help it. _God John, you're getting soft,_ he thought to himself.

Sighing, he looked at his watch. "I'll see you later. I'm just gonna drop, Elizabeth home." And with that, he walked out of the break room, not even telling them the name of his little girl.

Elizabeth had surely told Teyla, so she could tell them anyway. He just wasn't in the mood to anymore. He was annoyed now.

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth grinned when John walked over to her and stopped in front of her. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, giving her a chaste kiss. She slipped her arms around his waist and held onto him as she pulled back a little. She gave him a dazed look when he stared into her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. "You ready to go?" He asked softly.

Nodding, she puckered her lips, wanting another kiss. Her heart fluttered when John obliged her and gave her another one. "Mmm," she moaned into his mouth. "I want you," she mumbled.

John chuckled and pulled away from her, much to her annoyance. "You can have me tonight." He pulled out of her grasp and gripped her hands, helping her down off of his desk.

"Do I really have to wait that long?" She pouted. She was in desperate need of him. They hadn't made love since he had proposed to her. That had been two weeks ago, and by God, was that a long time! With each day that passed, she found herself wanting him, no, needing him more and more. _Fuck!_ _I really am desperate!_

"Afraid so, baby." He pressed a kiss to her temple and slipped an arm around her waist. "So, did you tell, Teyla?" He asked curiously as they walked out of the bullpen.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, she was really excited about it." She smiled. "Did you tell the guys?" She asked, curious. He had wanted to be the one to tell them. She didn't know why, but she just figured it was a guy thing.

"Nah," he replied.

Elizabeth frowned. "Why not?" She asked, stepping onto the elevator with him. He just sighed. Now, she knew there was something wrong. "John?"

He looked at her. "Evan started goin' on about how she was goin' to be datin' boys when she gets older, and that she won't want to be near me," he explained. "He thinks he knows it all because he's been through it!" She had to hold back a smile when she saw the look he was giving her. He looked like a lost puppy.

"Every kid is different, John. Evan can only speak from his experience. I'm sure our daughter will be different. In fact, I know she will." He looked at her, so she continued. "With a dad like you, how could she not love you? You have nothing to worry about. And the day she does start dating," she stopped and grinned at the wide-eyed look he was giving her, "I'm sure you'll scare the hell outta him."

John grinned. "Damn right!"

Giggling, she hugged him. She was glad he had spoken to her about it. While she found it slightly amusing, he found it terrifying. She didn't want her little girl dating boys any more than him, but she could handle the thought of it a little better.

She knew the reason why he was so terrified, and maybe they could bring that up in their next therapy session. He had never dealt with it before, but maybe now he could.

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**Author's note: So what did you think? Not many chapters left now. :)**

**Review please. :)**


	31. Chapter 31

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**Chapter Thirty-One**

_February 14__th__._

John looked up from his paperwork when he heard scuffling sharply against the hard ground. He was a little surprised to see Caldwell walking over towards his and Ronon's desks. He spied an envelope in his hand and for a moment he wondered what they had done wrong now. Was he really down here to give them an ass chewing? He hoped not. He had been having a fairly decent day. The case they were currently working had been straight forward enough, and they had managed to close it in two days, which was surprising to say the least, and all that was left now was the paperwork.

That meant that solving a case that actually had enough evidence to pin their perp in two days meant that he was chuffed with himself, and he wasn't going to let Steven Caldwell ruin that, not before he went home.

He was already a little annoyed at the fact that today was Valentine's Day and that he'd had to work instead of spending it with Elizabeth. He had been busy with closing the case that he was ashamed to admit that he had forgotten to book a restaurant for tonight. Elizabeth seemed to be okay with it, but he wasn't so sure.

He sighed a little, trying to not let his good mood slip.

When Caldwell stopped just shy of his desk, he gave him a polite smile. "What brings you down here?" He asked curiously.

Ignoring him, Caldwell turned to Ronon. "I have that warrant you asked for." He stated, holding up the envelope.

John watched as his partner practically jumped up out of his seat and grabbed the envelope off of their ADA. "I owe you big time, Caldwell," he grinned.

Caldwell just returned his smile. "Consider this one on the house. Detectives," he gave a curt nod before turning on his heel and making his way out of the bullpen.

John just shook his head slightly at the man before turning his attention back to his partner. He frowned a little, looking at the envelope in his hands. He wondered what he wanted a warrant for. They weren't working a case where they needed one. Pursing his lips slightly, he dropped his pen onto his pile of reports and leaned back into his chair. "What's that for?" He asked curiously, nodding his head towards the item in Ronon's hand.

"Just something," he muttered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Care to share?" He asked, suspiciously eyeing his friend.

"Not until I'm sure." He gave a short reply and pulled his jacket off of the back of his chair, and began walking out of the bullpen.

"Okay," John muttered to himself as he got back to filling out his DD5's. Ronon had officially gone crazy. Well, crazier. John scoffed to himself. If that were even possible!

He was already the precincts conspiracy nut. How much crazier could he get?

**~xoXox~**

Ronon handed the warrant over to the CEO of the medical company he was currently in. The CEO, Mister Miller, looked at him with wide, angry eyes, but Ronon just shrugged. He didn't care what Mister Miller thought of him. In fact, he could care less. All he wanted was the information and list of names of anyone who had bought medical grade disinfectant off of them in the last six months. Once he had that, he would happily leave him alone, but not until then.

Ronon quirked his eyebrow when Mister Miller finally spoke, standing up from his seat, his hands leaning firmly on his desk. "What's this all about, detective?" He asked angrily.

Sighing, Ronon pinched the bridge of his nose before addressing the pompous son-of-a-bitch standing in front of him. "Murder!" That one word was all he needed to make Mister Miller practically kiss his feet. "I need the list and information of everyone who bought medical grade disinfectant off your company in the last six months," he began explaining. "It's all there in the warrant, if you'd care to read it," he growled a little. He was not in the mood for road blocks. He had a gut feeling and he needed to follow it, needed answers.

Mister Miller nodded, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. "I'll have my secretary sort everything out for you. If you'd like, I can have it sent directly to your precinct," he offered.

Ronon just smirked. "If it's all the same, I'd rather wait."

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a big, pink fluffy towel with a smaller, matching one wrapped around her wet hair. She let out a yawn as she walked over to her set of drawers and began rummaging around for a pair of panties and some socks. She was leaving her bra off this evening. Her breasts were so sore and the bra just seemed to irritate them, or as John had put it, angered them. She rolled her eyes at her fiancé. He would probably enjoy the sight of her not wearing a bra tonight anyway. One thing he seemed to enjoy about her pregnancy was the fact that her breasts had gotten bigger.

He hadn't admitted it, probably afraid that her hormones would rear their ugly head and that he'd get a whack, but she had noticed that he'd noticed. Honestly, it was kind of flattering. She enjoyed the fact that she could still make him drool in her current state. She had been afraid that the little bit of weight gain and the big belly would have put him off of her, but so far it hadn't.

Smiling through another yawn, she came out of her thoughts and walked back over to her bed, dropping her socks and panties down onto it. Loosening her towel, she pulled it off of her and began drying herself before pulling on her panties. Grabbing her pyjama bottoms off of the end of the bed, she slipped them on and then sat down and pulled on her socks, her chilled feet feeling nice and cosy. Standing back up, she looked for the NYPD t-shirt that she had claimed as hers a long time ago.

She frowned when she couldn't see it. Sighing, she began looking for it on the trunk at the end of the bed and on the floor. She growled when she couldn't find it. It was the only thing she could really sleep in anymore and be comfortable in. All of her other pyjama tops were getting too tight to fasten across her belly.

She walked over to her set of drawers, thinking that she had probably put it in with her tops. She would really have to start buying maternity wear from now on. She only had a handful of clothes left that would just about fit her. She smiled as she began rummaging through her t-shirt drawer. Well, at least it was an excuse to go shopping.

She jumped slightly when she heard a familiar voice talking behind her. "Looking for this?" He asked curiously. Elizabeth turned and looked at John, noticing that he was holding up the t-shirt she had been searching for.

Grinning, she moved over to him and pulled it out of his hands. "Where'd you find it?" She asked as she pulled it on. "Oh, it's so soft and warm," she murmured, sighing in satisfaction. She threw her arms around John's waist and grinned.

John chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her. "I had it dry cleaned and then I left it on one of the radiators to warm up a little for you." He spoke softly, bringing a hand up to gently cup her cheek.

Elizabeth felt her eyes begin to tear up a little at the sweet gesture. _Bloody hormones,_ she thought. "You're too sweet." She leaned in and pressed her lips against his, warmth beginning to seep into her body.

John grinned as his grip tightened a little. "I aim to please," he smirked a little, giving her a quick peck before pulling away. "Come on, dinner's ready. I thought we could have a lazy night, so I got Chinese. I hope that's okay?" He asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "Sounds great. Just let me dry my hair and I'll be right out." She watched as John walked out of their room.

Unwrapping the fluffy towel from her hair, she dried it with haste, giving it a quick brush before pulling it back into a bun.

Bending down with some difficulty, she picked the wet towels off of the floor and walked into the bathroom, dropping them into the hamper.

She smiled when her little girl gave a soft kick. "I know, I'm hungry, too. Let's go get some dinner," she spoke, running her hand over her swollen abdomen.

**~xoXox~**

Ronon walked into the lab, and moved over to Rodney who was currently looking through a microscope. He sighed a little when he stopped behind the lab technician. "Rodney," he called, holding back a smirk when he jumped a little.

He straightened up and gave him a polite smile. "Ronon, what can I do for you?" He asked curiously.

"I have a favour to ask," he began. "And I know you're busy at the moment, but I really need your help." He looked at him imploringly.

Rodney just looked at him for a moment before speaking. "What do you need?" He asked.

"You know that disinfectant you tested, the one that Elizabeth dropped down to you? Its bleach, isn't it?" He asked.

"Practically, yeah." Rodney gave a light shrug of his shoulders.

"Okay, I need you to test it against the bleach that was used on the piece of purple cloth that was sent to, Sheppard," he explained.

"Why?" He frowned.

"I have a hunch," he said simply.

Rodney let out a small sigh before replying. "Okay," he nodded.

Ronon gave the man a grin. "Thank you, and… uh… don't tell, Sheppard," he added as an afterthought. Rodney frowned, but nodded.

Turning on his heel, Ronon began walking out of the lab. It wasn't very often that you got a good technician to do stuff for you and ask very little questions. He guessed that's what he liked about Rodney – though he could be quite cocky at times. He was good at his job, and he trusted them as detectives to be good at their job.

He was glad that he was doing this for him. He had spent the better part of his day looking over the names and information of the people who had bought the disinfectant from the company, and with a familiar name popping right out at him his gut feeling had turned into a very strong hunch.

He had already explained his hunch to Evan, Teyla and Captain O'Neill, but he had asked them not to tell John until it could be confirmed.

He just hoped that it would be.

**~xoXox~**

"Oh," Elizabeth pressed her hand against her belly when she felt the baby kick.

"What's wrong?" John asked, worry lacing his voice.

"I don't think Ella liked that spicy soup. Come to think of it, Mommy didn't either." She grimaced and placed a hand against her chest, feeling the beginning of a heartburn coming on. "Ugh, I may take something for it." Getting up off of the couch, she walked into the kitchen and pulled a glass down out of the cabinet. Moving to the fridge she pulled it open and poured herself a big glass of milk. She found that most things to help with heartburn didn't work for her, and that a good helping of milk usually did the trick.

Talking a mouthful, she began walking back into the living room, sitting back down in her spot on the couch when she reached it. Placing her glass on the table, she picked up her plate of fried rice and Chicken Szechuan and began shovelling it into her mouth as she relaxed back onto the couch.

"Hungry?" John asked with a chuckle.

Elizabeth looked at him; an amused expression was on his face. Swallowing her mouthful of food, she stuck her tongue out at him. "Yes! I'm eating for two you know!" She exclaimed playfully.

John grinned. "I know." Elizabeth lifted up her plate when John leaned over and pressed a kiss to her stomach. He sat back up and rested his hand against her belly, gently rubbing it. "You know, I kinda feel bad that we didn't get to do anything fancy for Valentine's this year. It was our first one as a couple and I wanted it to be special, but work…" he trailed off, giving her an apologetic look.

Elizabeth just gave him a reassuring smile as she placed one of her hands over his and lightly shook her head. "Tonight was wonderful. Having a quiet night in and spending it with you, and not having to share you with anyone is perfect enough for me," she reassured. Leaning in, she pressed her warm lips against his. "I love you," she whispered softly.

John gave her a beaming smile. "I love you, too."

**~xoXox~**

"What you thinkin' about?" Elizabeth came out of her thoughts when she felt a pair of arms slide around her waist and warm hands rest against the swell of her stomach.

Smiling, she leaned back against him and rested her head against her shoulder as they stood in front of the living room window, her eyes scanning the early morning skyline. "Nothing much," she admitted honestly, placing one of her hands over his. "Woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to watch the sunrise." She squeezed his hand when she felt a swift kick, hoping that he had felt it, too. "And Ella was a little restless," she pointed out.

John chuckled slightly, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "Maybe Ella just wanted you to watch the sunrise. You haven't done that in a while," he pointed out.

"True, but I would have preferred to sleep." She said, amusement lacing her voice. "It is my day off after all; I think I deserve to sleep in." She smirked.

"Okay, well its seven now, so I know you've been standing for a while, so why don't you go back to bed for a bit and I'll bring you breakfast." He moved to stand in front of her and grinned.

"Sounds nice, but I can hardly let you do all the work, considering you _do_ have to go to work," she lightly teased.

"Don't remind me," he muttered, which Elizabeth found amusing.

"Not want to go to work?" She asked softly and slipped her arms around his waist.

"No, I wanna stay here with you." He pouted slightly before placing a kiss to her forehead.

Elizabeth just closed her eyes, basking in his nearness. She loved it when he would hold her close like this, when he would give her soft but loving kisses. These moments were the times when she didn't want to step out of their bubble, step out of their own little world. It was heaven!

"I wish you could, too," she whispered, nuzzling his neck.

"I might be able to finish early. All I really have to do is paperwork. We closed out latest case, so unless another case comes in, I'm free!" He exclaimed with excitement.

Pulling back slightly, she stared into his addicting hazel eyes. "Well, pray you don't get a case and we can go to the movies later on." She smiled and rested her hands against his chest, smirking as she lightly pushed him away from her. "Now, maybe I will take you up on that offer of breakfast in bed." She turned and began walking towards their bedroom.

"I never said anything about it being in bed." He replied playfully.

Elizabeth grinned and looked over her shoulder. "No, but I did." She gave him a playful wink, swaying her hips in a provocative fashion.

"Breakfast and an early morning treat? I can do that!" He exclaimed happily.

Throwing her head back, she let out a hearty laugh as she walked into their room.

Now she really hoped he could get off early today.

**~xoXox~**

"Are you sure it's him?" Captain O'Neill asked as he shoved his hands into his trousers pockets. A light frown creased his brow.

Ronon let out a long and tired sigh. He had been up all night collecting information and evidence on this. "I believe so. It's just too big of a coincidence not to be." He paused. "The bleach that was used on the latest victim was also used on the pieces of cloth that was sent to, Sheppard. I really do think the two cases are connected." He spoke with determination. "I just can't believe that we were too stupid to even think about testing the cloth!" He exclaimed in frustration.

"You couldn't have known that the two cases were linked, and I don't think that that was the first thing on, John's mind or yours," Teyla pointed out, resting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Ronon just nodded and dropped his head. "I guess you're right." Sucking in a breath, he lifted his head and looked at his captain. "I think we should try and keep, Sheppard as far away from this case as possible. He can't know about this until we're absolutely sure." He stated.

Captain O'Neill just looked at him. "And how do you plan on doing that?" He asked.

"I don't know. Give him leave." Ronon shrugged. He didn't want his friend to know about any of this until they were sure. He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing by keeping John out of the loop, but he knew his partner, he would just want to get involved and he couldn't have that.

"I can't just make him take leave for no reason," Jack pointed out.

"Can't you just tell him that you're giving him the next few days off?" He asked, frustration about the situation creeping into his voice.

Captain O'Neill sighed. "I'll see what I can do." And with that, he turned on his heel and walked back into his office.

**~xoXox~**

"That was weird."

Elizabeth drew her attention away from her stomach and looked at her fiancé. "What?" She asked curiously, pulling down her pyjama top.

"That was, O'Neill… He just gave me the next two days off," he frowned slightly.

"And that's a bad thing because…?" She looked at him with a curious expression. She thought that he would have been happy about getting a few days off of work.

"It's not, I'm just surprised. I can't remember the last time, O'Neill called me up and gave me a few days off," he explained.

Grinning, she slid closer to him and rested her hand against his thigh. "Well, now that you have them… let's make some plans for the day." She gave him a cheeky grin, her hand gently caressing his warm flesh.

John slipped his arm around her shoulders and dragged her further down into the bed. "Well, I can think of at least one thing we can do." He grinned and tangled the fingers of his free hand into her brown curls, leaning in to press his lips against hers.

She giggled, moving her hand from his thigh to his waist. "I think I like this idea."

**~xoXox~**

_Two days later._

The tears streamed down her face as she struggled against the tape that bound her wrists. She tried to loosen it by moving her hands furiously, making her wrists tug against the binding. Pulling at the tight, sticky binding seemed to only add to her pain, causing her to cry out.

Sniffling, she tried to calm her breathing as she looked around the damp room she was being held in. Well, it wasn't so much a room as it was an old garage. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what she had learned in her criminology class. _Listen for sounds, look for signs or distinctive buildings or landmarks_, she thought to herself. She was terrified, there was no doubt about that, but she had to do this. She needed to get out of here. She was not going to be this sick fucks next victim.

Keeping her eyes closed, she listened intently and tried to see if she could hear anything that might help her in determining where she was. She could hear water lapping against something. It was light, though. Her brow furrowed as she tried to hear more.

Then, she heard it.

A boat horn!

Her eyes shot open.

The docks! She was near the docks, which meant she was more than likely being kept in a boat storage unit. Despite the situation, she couldn't help but smile a little. She had been down to the docks many times with her father when she had been a kid. If she could just get out of here, she might be able to find some help and her way to safety. She prayed to God that she did.

_Okay, you can do this, Taylor,_ she thought reassuringly to herself. _All you have to do is sit up and climb down off this table and make a break for the door._

She groaned a little. How was she supposed to do that? He had bound her legs also. She shook her head. No! She couldn't think bad thoughts. This was a horrible situation and she had to get out of it. She needed to be strong.

With a grimace, she began trying to push herself up into a sitting position. Her stiff body ached from the beating he had given her, and the fact that her hands and legs were bound, was not helping matters much.

With a loud grunt, she jerked her body and fell off of the table, dropping to the hard ground below her. She cried out as sharp pain shot through her right arm. Crap, her arm was more than likely broken. _Great,_ she thought. _Just great!_

She rolled onto her stomach completely and pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, trying to hold back a scream from the pain in her arm. She couldn't let a broken arm stop her now. A broken arm would heal, but if she died her life would be gone. And she chose life!

Crawling over to the table, she knelt up on her knees and gripped the edge of the so-called-bed and hauled herself up into a standing position. Licking her chapped lips, she eyed the tray filled with medical equipment that was left beside the table. Noticing a scalpel, she hopped over towards it and grasped it between her bound hands, and slowly eased herself back down onto the ground. Surprisingly, it was easier to get down than it was to get back up.

Drawing up her knees, so that her feet were closer to her, she slipped the sharp blade underneath the tape and began cutting the binding. She let out a cry of relief when it cut it open. A tear rolled down her cheek as she placed the scalpel, blade up, between her feet and tried to hold it there. She lowered her hands onto it, the blade slipping between the tape and her hands, and began dragging it up and down, praying that it worked, too and that she could get out of here before the psycho that had kidnapped her got back.

When the binding split apart, she cried out in relief. "Thank you, God!" Sniffling, she grasped the scalpel in her left hand and bent her right arm, so that it didn't move around too much, and pushed herself up into a standing position.

_Okay, okay, you're free now, so now all you have to do is get out of here. Come on, Taylor, you can do this,_ she chanted in her head over and over again reassuringly. She had to believe that she would escape.

Sucking in a deep breath, she began walking across the cold floor, her bare feet scraping against the rough surface as she made her way towards the door, towards freedom. Tears began to well up in her eyes at the thought of actually making it out of this hell alive.

Just as she neared the door, she heard the lock begin to jiggle on the other side. "No," she cried out softly, shaking her head. No, he couldn't be back. Not now, not when she was so close.

_Hide,_ she cried out internally. Gritting her teeth, she gripped the scalpel harder as she turned on her heel and ran across the room, ducking behind one of the many crates. She leaned against the crate for support as she tried to slow and calm her breathing. She would not let him find her, and if he did, she would not let him hurt her anymore, or anyone else for that matter!

She closed her eyes when she heard the door being opened. "I'm back my, lov-" He stopped and her breath hitched. He had noticed. She heard him running around the room, his heavy feet making loud noises on the ground as he cursed himself. "Shit, shit, shit. What the hell did you leave her alone for, you idiot!" He yelled at himself. She jumped when she heard the tray clashing with the ground, the medical items tumbling across the hard surface.

Her hand tightened around the bladed weapon when he began talking to himself. "Okay, relax. You had the door locked, so she has to be around here somewhere." He spoke to himself. Her heart began racing when she heard his feet moving again, his cruel voice calling out her name. "Oh Taylor, where are you? I know you're in here," he called out. "Come out, come out where ever you are," his voice rose slightly in pitch. "I promise I won't hurt you," he tried to sound sweet, but she could hear the lie in his voice. It made bile rise up in the back of her throat.

"It's not nice to ignore people you bitch!" He yelled angrily, knocking something else over. She held her breath as his footsteps got closer to her. Then, he stopped.

She waited a moment before peering around the corner of the crate. She started breathing again when she couldn't see him. She wondered where he had gone. She didn't hear the door open and she hadn't heard him walking up the stairs, so she knew that he hadn't left. Biting her lower lip, she moved back to her position. Letting out a soft breath, she let her head turn to the other side. Her eyes went wide and she let out a scream.

"Boo," he chuckled.

"No," she cried out as she tried to scramble away from him. She screamed when he grabbed her legs, pulling her back towards him. The scalpel slipped out of her hand as she went sliding across the rough ground, her bare flesh being torn and scraped. She kicked her legs against him, trying to break free of his grasp.

Gritting her teeth, she landed a powerful kick in his face. He yelped and fell backwards. She tried to get up and go for the scalpel again, but just as she was near it, he grabbed her and flipped her onto her back. He sat on top of her stomach and wrapped his hands around her neck. She began struggling against him as his grip tightened. Her hands pawed at his fingers, trying to loosen his grip.

She kept struggling against him, even as dark spots began to cloud her vision. She knew what it meant. Her body wasn't getting any oxygen and she was about to die. She struggled again. She couldn't let that happen. She was not going to allow him to kill her. Letting go of his hands, she reached her broken arm out, not caring about the pain, and began fumbling about for the scalpel.

She kept dragging her hand across the ground, searching, when finally; her fingers touched the cool steel. Sliding it a little closer to her, she grasped it and with a scream of anger and pain, she brought her hand up, plunging the scalpel deep into his neck.

She watched as he looked at her with side eyes, his hands moving from around her neck as he fell off of her. She just lay there for a moment and tried to get her breath back, sucking in lungful's of air greedily.

When she wasn't feeling dizzy anymore, she sat up and tugged her legs out from under his body. Standing up, she swayed slightly and gripped onto the crate for support. She looked down at the man who had kidnapped her, who now lay lifeless on the ground. She had never felt more relieved. She was free! Free!

Moving away from the crate, she slowly and shakily, began walking towards the door. She cradled her broken arm to her chest and willed her sore and tired legs to keep her up and moving until she could find some help.

When she reached the door, she pushed it open, her eyes squinting against the bright light as it began filtering into the room.

Without looking back, she sucked in a lungful of fresh air and stepped through the door, to freedom.

Tears of joy began spilling down her cheeks as she began walking along the dock. She smiled a little. She had been right. He had kept her near the docks.

Her heart jumped when she heard people speaking. "Help!" She cried out as she began running towards them. "Please, help me?"

* * *

**Author's Note: So what did you think? **

**Review please. :)**


	32. Chapter 32

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**Chapter Thirty-Two**

John stood outside of the interrogation room, watching through the two-way mirror as the young girl on the other side sniffled and tucked a strand of messy hair behind her ear. He watched as she tightened the cardigan Teyla had given her tighter around her small frame and shifted in her seat. He felt his heart break for her, his eyes scanning over the visible parts of her body, the cuts and bruises she had sustained during her capture marring her pale skin.

He still couldn't believe that she had managed to escape her captor, and in fact had killed him in the process. A scalpel to the neck had severed his artery and he had died instantly. He shook his head slightly. She had shown great courage in trying to escape and taking out the man who had kidnapped and tortured her. He could see it in her eyes that she was still afraid, and he knew that it would be a long time before she learned to trust anyone again.

The fear at what she had done to her captor was as plain as day when she finally spoke. "W-what's going… to h-happen to… m-me?" She asked shakily.

John shifted in his stance slightly, waiting on Teyla's response.

"What do you mean?" Teyla asked curiously.

"I-I killed… a… m-man. Aren't I… going to… j-jail?" She asked another question, her eyes shining with tears.

"Oh, no sweetheart," she reassured. "You didn't do anything wrong," she said.

"But-"

Teyla cut her off. "You killed that man in self-defence. He kidnapped you and attacked you, you were only defending yourself," she explained. "We've already spoken to our ADA and he agrees. He won't be pressing charges," she reassured.

"Really?" The young girl, Taylor, asked.

Teyla nodded. "Yes," she paused for a moment. John shifted again. He knew the line of questioning that was coming next and he knew how hard it would be for her to answer them. "Can you tell me what happened?" Teyla asked softly.

"I-I was walking home… from s-school when… this guy j-just… attacked me out of… nowhere!" He could see the tears starting to run down her cheeks. "He injected m-me… with something… and then e-everything… went black."

John frowned. Elizabeth had never mentioned anything about a drug being used to knock the victim's out. He suddenly found himself wondering if all of the stress she had been under had caused her to accidently look over something as important as that.

He shook his head.

No, Elizabeth would have never done that. She was very thorough when she was doing an autopsy, stressed or not. She would never make a mistake like that.

He rubbed his forehead. This case was weird. They had finally caught the sick bastard who had been doing all these killings, yet he had no idea what his name was. Ronon had called him and had told him to come down to the precinct, and so far he had yet to see him or anyone for that matter who could give him the information he so desperately wanted.

He wanted to know the name of the man who had killed so many innocent women, the man who was now lying in the morgue.

He sighed. He really wanted to go in there and help Teyla interview the victim, but he knew that if he walked in there now, the trust and openness that Teyla had managed to gain could be shattered, so he stayed put.

He came out of his thoughts when he heard Taylor speaking again. "When I w-woke up… he had h-his hands… all over m-me!" She cried out. "I tried to g-get… away from him; b-but… he just started hitting… me o-over and over!" She hiccupped.

"Then what?" Teyla asked softly. "Did he rape you?" She asked another question.

Taylor shook her head 'no.' And John found himself feeling slightly relieved that she had been spared that pain. He watched as she sucked in a heavy breath. "After he stopped hitting me," she began again, sounding more confident as she spoke, "he was… _nice_," she frowned. "He started telling me how sorry he was… but it was the only way he could… curb his… hate," she shook her head. "He was an asshole," she muttered. John couldn't help but grin at her aside comment.

"Did he say what he hated?" Teyla asked.

Taylor nodded. "He started talking about this… woman… uh…" her brow furrowed as she seemed to be searching for something hidden in her memory. "He said that she… had been his f-first, that he still held a soft… s-spot for her, but he couldn't have… her, that she was…a dirty… s-slut. Oh… what was her name?" She brought her hands up and gripped the sides of her head and clenched her eyes shut.

John couldn't believe it. The idiot had actually talked about his previous victim's with her?

"It's okay," Teyla said softly.

"Elizabeth!" Her eyes shot open and there was a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "That's it – Elizabeth!"

"What!?" John asked in disbelief, the empty room not answering him back. Did she just say Elizabeth's name? His Elizabeth? Moving up close to the two-way mirror, he began banging on it, his heart thumping wildly in his chest.

He had to have misheard her? She couldn't be talking about Elizabeth Weir.

He moved away from the mirror when Teyla got up from her seat and began moving towards the door. When she opened it, he fixed her with a hard stare. "What is it, John?" She asked.

"Is she talking about, Elizabeth? My Elizabeth?" He asked hurriedly, his thoughts going a mile a minute. Who the hell was this guy?

"I think you should wait till, Ronon talks to you," she said, shutting the door and moving to stand in front of him.

He glared at her. "I'm asking you!" He growled out, pissed that she wouldn't give him a straight answer. He wanted to know if that scum had had anything to do with Elizabeth, and he wanted to know now!

"John… please?" She held out her hands as if to try and relax him.

"No Teyla! I have a right to know, Elizabeth has a right to know!" He growled, throwing his hands up slightly as he tried to reign in his emotions. "Who the hell is this guy?"

"Please John, Ronon can tell you more than I can," she pleaded.

"Fine!" He huffed. Turning on his heel, he stormed out into the bullpen, growling when he seen Ronon in the captain's office. Clenching his fists, he marched towards the office, bent on getting the information that they had apparently been keeping from him. Reaching the office, he pushed opened the door and slammed it behind him when he entered. "What the hell is going on?" He asked, almost yelling.

"John-"

John cut his captain off. "Save it, Captain! You can suspend me, I don't care. But I want to know what is going on. Why did the victim say that the killer had something to do with, Elizabeth?" He asked his breathing heavy.

"John please, sit down. I know you're upset."

John glared at his captain for a moment before grumbling as he took a seat in the chair in front of O'Neill's desk. "Upset doesn't even begin to cover it," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. He watched as O'Neill sat back down in his chair and Ronon leaned against the edge of the desk. "Okay, now tell me," he demanded, not in the mood for mind games.

"John… the reason you've been off for the last two days is because… we had been doing some investigating into the case," Ronon began. John looked at him and nodded for him to continue. Ronon sighed before continuing. "Okay, so the reason I had gotten that warrant off of, Caldwell a couple days ago was because I had been looking through some of, Augustus Kolya's-"

John cut him off. "Augustus Kolya? What's he got to do with-" He stopped, his eyes going slightly wide as realization dawned on him. He swallowed hard, "oh."

Ronon nodded, but continued anyway. "I noticed that he had worked for the medical company that had supplied the bleach that he had used, and so I asked, Caldwell to get me a warrant. I had a strong gut feeling, and when I saw his name on the list of people who had bought that particular bleach, my suspicions had been confirmed," he explained.

John nodded his head a little. "So…" he trailed off.

"Augustus Kolya had been behind it all along. He killed those women, sent you those notes, and raped, Elizabeth," he summed all of the information up in one lump.

Standing up, John ran a shaking hand over his head. God, this was a lot of information to take in. It all felt so surreal. The asshole who had been antagonizing him for weeks with those damned notes had been Augustus Kolya all along? He had killed all those innocent women, and he had… he had… raped Elizabeth?

He found that he was both pissed and relieved – pissed because he hadn't gotten to kill the son-of-a-bitch himself, and relieved because the dumb fuck who had made the biggest mistake of his life by raping Elizabeth was finally dead.

"This… this is a lot to take in," he admitted.

"I know, John. You can take as much time as you need," O'Neill reassured. "Go home and tell, Elizabeth. She needs to know," he said.

John just nodded again. It seemed to be all he could do. He didn't really know what to say.

"Just one more thing, though," Ronon spoke up. "We kind of… uh… need, Elizabeth to… identify the body…" he trailed off.

John looked at him. "Why?" He asked his brow furrowing.

"To make sure that it is, Augustus Kolya. I know it's a lot to ask, bu-"

He held up his hand and cut him off. "I'll see if she's up for it. I don't know how she'll take this," he mumbled before walking out of Captain O'Neill's office.

Damn, this day had turned out to be seriously fucked up!

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth shifted the grocery bags in her hands, fumbling with her keys as she tried to shove the right one into the lock. She growled when the keys slipped from her fingers and fell onto the floor below her, landing with a slight clatter. "Great," she muttered under breath, eyeing them. How was she supposed to pick those up?

Her stomach was big enough now that it was becoming increasingly more difficult for her to be able to bend over, and with the grocery bags in her hands that difficulty seemed to multiply. She couldn't exactly put them down because she wouldn't be able to pick them back up again.

She closed her eyes and took in a calming breath as she tried to figure out what to do, jumping when she felt one of the bags in her arms being tugged. Her eyes flew open, her heart racing as she stepped back, bumping into whoever had tried to grab her bag.

"'Lizabeth, relax… It's just me," John spoke. She let out a breath of relief when she realised it was her fiancé.

"Jesus John, you scared me!" She exclaimed, turning to face him.

He gave her a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes, the eyes that now seemed to hold something that wasn't happiness. She frowned. He would usually be in stitches laughing at her in her current predicament. "Sorry," he mumbled, moving to pick up the fallen keys. She watched as he unlocked the door and pushed it open.

She gave him a grateful smile – one that he didn't return – when he took the bags off of her and walked into their apartment. She frowned again, her brows knitting together. Had she done something wrong to upset him? She didn't think she had, but then again she could be wrong.

Sighing, she walked into the apartment and shut the door behind her. She walked towards the kitchen, hearing John fumble around with the food, muttering to himself. She bit her lip and pushed open the door. "Did… did I do something wrong?" She asked meekly, hoping his answer would be 'no.' She hated it when John got angry with her. She was always afraid that he would leave again and never come back.

Though, he hadn't really left her the last time per-se. He had needed to clear his head after finding out about her rape, but that still hadn't stopped the hurt and fear of knowing that there had been a chance that he may not have come back.

"Of course not," he said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Okay," she muttered.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, I've just had a bit… of a rough day," he explained, turning to face her.

Letting out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding in, she swiftly moved over to him and gathered him in her arms. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck.

John pulled back and stared into her eyes. She ran a hand along his cheek, concern written across her face. He just nodded. "I want to finish putting the groceries away first."

Elizabeth gave him a small smile. "Okay," she set about helping him put them away.

"How come you're not at work anyway?" He asked suddenly.

She shrugged as she put the milk into the refrigerator. "I was just changing into my scrubs, so I could do an autopsy… when, Sam came in and told me that the new M.E. was doing this one," she explained.

"Oh," was all he said.

She moved to stand beside him with her back leaning against the worktop. "Honestly, I felt a little put out. I mean, I know I had to cut down my hours, but just because I'm pregnant don't mean that I can't do my job!" She pointed out. He just nodded again. She reached out and pressed a hand against his arm. "How bad was today?" She asked curiously. Ronon had called him to go down to the precinct, even though, he wasn't back till tomorrow.

"Bad," he muttered. He turned to face her and grasped her hand, his eyes showing nothing but sadness. "'Lizabeth… there's something I have to tell you… and I don't know how you're going to… take it," he admitted, fumbling with his words slightly.

Her heart began racing. Now, she really was worried. "John?" She choked out.

He let go of her hand and pulled out one of the chairs at the small table. "I want you to sit down first."

"John?" She questioned her brow furrowing.

"Please," he pleaded.

Nodding, she sat down and watched as he pulled the other chair in front of her and sat down, too. He reached out and grabbed her hands, holding onto them tightly. Honestly, she was grateful for his touch. By the look on his face, the news he had for her wasn't going to be good and so, she was just happy to have him at least touching her.

"I'm sitting," she stated, "so, now?"

"Well…" he paused for a moment. "We caught the 'Hangman Killer'-"

"John, that's great!" Elizabeth exclaimed, cutting him off. She knew how hard everyone had been working on that case, and how frustrating it had been because of the lack of evidence and leads.

"It is… sort of…" he trailed off.

"What do you mean 'sort of'?" She questioned, frowning. They had caught the bastard. That wasn't sort of good news. That was great news!

"Well, he's dead-"

She cut him off again. "He won't be able to kill anyone else, then!" She exclaimed, getting frustrated by the fact that he seemed to be beating around the bush a little. She looked at him, and the look in his eyes told her to be quiet, but she couldn't. She knew there was something he wasn't telling her, could feel it.

There'd be no-way that he would be upset about the fucking 'Hangman Killer' being dead. Hell, he should be jumping up and down. The case was finally closed. They didn't have to worry about him anymore, so what the hell was going on?

"What aren't you telling me, John?" She finally asked.

"Okay, I'm just going to come right out and say it," he mumbled to himself, looking at their entwined hands before staring back into her eyes. "The killer is… was… Augustus Kolya," he stated, letting out a short breath.

Elizabeth froze her eyes wide. Her heart began racing and she didn't know why. Her breath caught in her throat and her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Her mind was going a mile a minute. She couldn't believe what John had just told her.

Augustus Kolya had been the killer all along? He had tortured and killed all those innocent women?

The same man who had haunted her nightmares for so long?

The same man who had been involved in sending John those damn notes, and almost destroying their relationship?

The same man who had raped her, and had then revealed her deepest secret in such a cruel and taunting way?

It was almost too hard to believe, but it was true.

In some sick, twisted way it all made sense now. Everything made sense now. This was the man who had destroyed so many people's lives.

She had thought that Michael had been cruel, but Augustus Kolya had been just as cruel, if not more so.

She suddenly found herself wondering, how could she not have made the connection sooner? How could she not have known that Michael's accomplice all along had been Augustus Kolya?

Because he was supposed to have been out of the country! He was supposed to have taken some job in Europe. He wasn't supposed to be back. Knowing that he had been gone had been one of the only things that had reassured her that he could never hurt her again.

Although now, she knew that he definitely couldn't.

"Elizabeth?" Hearing John's voice brought her out of her erratic thoughts.

She looked at him, her eyes focusing on his worried face. Only now, did she realise that tears were falling down her face. She swiped at them as a strangled sob escaped her lips. She threw herself into his arms and buried her face in his neck, sobbing. "How could I've not known it was him sooner? How could I have been so stupid?!" She sobbed.

She whimpered slightly when John pulled away from her, his hands grasping her shoulders. "What?" He asked, frowning.

She sniffled. "I should've… known it was… him," she hiccupped. "Who else would… have helped, Michael?" She screeched out, trying not to gag at the sound of her abusers name.

John gripped her head in his hands and made her look at him. "'Lizabeth… why are you blaming yourself? You couldn't have known! For God's sakes, he was out of the fucking country!" He exclaimed, his voice rising a little. Elizabeth flinched, sobs beginning to wrack her body once again. John pulled her close, holding her in a tight grip. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry," he soothed. "I didn't mean to yell, but baby, you can't blame yourself. Blaming yourself will get you nowhere, especially when it wasn't even your fault," he pointed out.

She nodded a little burying her face further into his neck. "It just makes so much sense, though," she whispered.

"It may make sense now, but sweetheart, no-one could've known that the killer was, Augustus Kolya. What little evidence we had didn't even point to him or, Michael… trust me… please?" He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, gently stroking her back. "I don't want you blaming yourself for something you couldn't have even known," he said.

Pulling away from him, she wiped her eyes and sniffled. "I know…" she mumbled shakily. "I just… I guess I just… didn't know how to… take it," she admitted, wiping her eyes again. Damn tears just wouldn't let up. She scowled at John when he chuckled a little. "What's so funny?" She asked sharply.

"At least you didn't almost break the interrogation room window!" He exclaimed, laughter still in his voice.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. "Really?"

He nodded, his face turning serious once again. "When I heard the victim say your name, I went a little crazy. I started banging on the glass to get, Teyla's attention," he began explaining. "I wanted to know if the woman the killer had been talking to the victim about had been you. Of course, Teyla wouldn't tell me anything, so I had to go and find, Ronon," he scowled a little. "I finally got most of the information I wanted out of him. There's still a few things I want to talk to him about."

Elizabeth nodded. "So, the victim's alive, then?" She asked.

"She's the one who killed him," John pointed out.

"Strong girl," she muttered. She'd have to be a very brave young woman to kill her attacker and escape.

"I think she is," John nodded in agreement.

Standing, she moved to sit down on his lap, wanting to be close to him. Slipping her arms around his neck, she rested her forehead against his. "I love you," she whispered softly, moving to kiss his lips.

"I love you, too," he mumbled against her mouth. He pulled back and gently cupped her cheek. "There's something I have to ask you," he said, his eyes searching hers.

"What?" She asked.

He sighed before answering. "Ronon wants to know if you could identify the body. They just want to make sure it is that bastard," he growled.

"I-" She didn't know what to say. Did she really want to identify his body? She never thought she'd have to see him again and now they were asking her to. Honestly, she wasn't sure she could do it.

"I told him I'd have to see how you felt about it. It's okay if you don't want to, baby," he reassured. "There are plenty of other ways of finding out."

She bit her lip, tightening her hold around his neck. God, this was a lot to take in. She knew that it would be faster if she just identified him, but at the same time, she was terrified of doing it. This was the man who had raped her!

_It could give you closure,_ she thought to herself. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'll do it."

**~xoXox~**

Elizabeth's heart pounded furiously in her chest as she eyed the covered body of the man she hated most in this world. Well, one of them anyway. Her grip tightened on John's hand, her knuckles turning a ghostly white. She wondered if John or anyone else could hear her heart beating frantically.

She wasn't sure why she was nervous. She knew that it was him under the sheet, and that she just had to confirm it. But it was just so hard to do it. She didn't want to see him, to have to face him. _He's dead,_ she thought drily to herself.

He may have been dead, but she was terrified of seeing the face of one of the men who had ruined her life, who had tried to destroy her very being.

John had put her back together again, though, and had kept her together, and she loved him for it.

And with that thought, she set her resolve. She was going to do this, not for anyone else, but for her. She needed closure; she needed to know for certain that he truly was gone. Maybe she could finally put all of the bad behind her once she knew for definite that he couldn't hurt her anymore.

"You don't have to do this," John reassured again, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"I want to," she stated, stopping beside the autopsy table. She nodded to Sam, silently telling her she was ready. She watched as her boss pulled the white sheet back away from his face. She tensed and felt her eyes begin to sting with tears when she saw him. She couldn't believe that he was actually lying on a slab in front of her. He was really gone. She relaxed a little when she felt John slip his arm around her waist. "It's him," she said through her tears, looking at first to her boss then to Ronon who was standing beside her.

"Thank you," he said softly. Elizabeth just nodded. All she wanted to do now was go home and sleep. She felt so tired. "Elizabeth… there's something I have to ask you," he began

"Ronon," John warned.

Elizabeth looked at John then back to Ronon. "What?" She asked.

"The victim said that she had been drugged, but you never mentioned anything about a drug being used in your reports," he explained.

Elizabeth frowned. Did he doubt her ability to do her job?

No, no he couldn't be. No, she knew that he wasn't. He had to ask because he was just doing his job.

"Because I didn't find any," she finally spoke. "It's possible that he used something that would have degraded quickly in the body," she explained.

"Just like I told you, detective," Sam said, looking at Ronon.

"Look, I'm just doing my job!" He exclaimed, frustration showing through. He rubbed his eyes. She could clearly see how tired he was written all over his face.

"I know, Ronon, its fine," she reassured. "Thank you," she gave him a tired smile.

"You ready to go?" John asked her.

She looked at him and nodded. "Yeah," she let out a breath. "Thank you," she said, looking at Sam. She just gave her a small smile.

John grasped her hand and began pulling her towards the way out. "I'll call you later," he said to Ronon.

"Make it tomorrow, will you? I'm going home to sleep!" He exclaimed, walking past them.

"But-" He started, but she cut him off.

"Leave him be, John. He's been working non-stop on this case, he needs some sleep," she said.

"I guess it can wait," he sighed. "Anyway, come on, I want to get you home. You need your rest after the day you've had," he slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"So do you," she pointed out.

She smiled when he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Today had turned out to be a pretty crap day, but at least now she knew for certain that the man who had raped her could never hurt her again, and he could never hurt John.

She was sure she could start looking to a better future now.

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**Author's Note: So, what did you think? Only one more chapter left. :) **

**Review please. :)**


	33. Chapter 33

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**Chapter Thirty-Three**

John pounded on Ronon's apartment door, yelling for the man to open up. "Answer the door, Ronon!" John hollered, pounding his fisted hand against the door once again.

He stepped back a little when the door was finally pulled open, revealing a dishevelled Ronon. "What?" He growled out, his thick dreads sticking in all sorts of directions and his t-shirt and flannel pyjamas pants all rumpled.

"No need to get testy." John rolled his eyes, walking past his partner and into the apartment.

"Its 06:00am, John, and I don't have work today!" He exclaimed in frustration.

John let out a small sigh before turning to look at his partner. "Look, I'm sorry I woke you, but I couldn't sleep and-"

"So, you decided to wake me up?" Ronon asked, cutting him off.

"I couldn't sleep because there's still some thing's I need to know," he said, shoving his hands into his trousers pockets.

"Fine," he sighed, shutting the door. He walked over to the open kitchen and switched on the coffee maker. "Coffee?" He asked, pulling down two cups from the cupboard.

"Sure," John said, walking over to the bar and situating himself on one of the stools. He hadn't had coffee in a long time, not since Elizabeth had found out that she was pregnant. He was being a gentleman and staying off of it, well trying to, because Elizabeth couldn't drink it. He had had his moments of weakness, though.

"So, what do you want to know?" Ronon asked, placing a steaming cup in front of him. He sat down on a stool opposite him.

John breathed in the aroma of the addicting caffeine drink before taking a sip. He licked his lips, tasting the remnants of it on the plump flesh. "Well, I'm just a little curious about the eyewitness," he began.

"What eyewitness?" Ronon asked curiously, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Remember the young boy who had delivered the last note to me… He was caught on camera," he pointed out.

"What about him?" The older man asked.

"Did you talk to him because I'm sure he could have identified, Augustus Kolya instead of, Elizabeth," he pointed out again.

Ronon shook his head a little. "Okay, one, he didn't even know the guy's name, and two, no I didn't. When the parents found out that I had wanted to talk to him… they extended their vacation," he rolled his eyes. "The housekeeper must've told them," he mused.

John sighed. "Figures," he muttered. The parents probably hadn't wanted their son messed up in all of this. God forbid, he had been helping the 'Hangman Killer' by delivering his messages. He probably would have been prosecuted, too. Though, John knew that the young boy probably had no idea who he had been dealing with. He had probably been paid to deliver the message to him like the first boy had been.

"There… was something else… though," Ronon spoke slowly.

John looked at his partner, eyeing him suspiciously. "What?" He asked, frowning a little.

"Well, we found some stuff in the old boat shed… personal stuff," he began.

"What kind of personal stuff?" John asked, thoroughly interested in what else they had found.

"Well, we found the cloth that had been sent to you. It turns out it had been a pair of purple panties… with blood stains… on it," he explained slowly.

John just nodded, closing his eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that that blood belonged to Elizabeth. "What else?" He asked, taking another sip of his hot beverage.

"We found the bleach he used… two different kinds. And…" he paused for a moment, "…we found a box of pictures… pictures of you and, Elizabeth."

At hearing this, John began choking on his coffee, the cup slipping from his hand and landing on the counter with a thud. He held a hand over his mouth as he continued to cough, trying to catch his breath to help ease it off. "Shit," he coughed out. He continued to cough as Ronon cleaned up the mess, feeling bad that he had made the mess in the first place. When the coughing had finally subsided, he took in a deep breath. "Sorry man," he apologised.

Ronon waved it off. "Don't worry about it," he reassured.

Nodding, he finally asked, "what kind of pictures?"

"There were ones of you and, Elizabeth before she was pregnant, then after she found out… I guess." John just looked at him. How could he tell that some of them had been taken before she had gotten pregnant? Elizabeth had fallen pregnant quite quickly into their relationship. "They had a time stamp on them," he explained. He just nodded, so Ronon continued. "Anyway, there was a few where you were kissing, holding hands, laughing… that kind of stuff."

"Was there… uh…?" He didn't quite know how to ask the question without embarrassing himself.

Ronon seemed to know what he was silently asking, though. "No… no there was no pictures of… that…" he trailed off.

"Thank God," he muttered to himself.

Knowing that that scumbag had taken pictures of them while they had been out together, just simply enjoying the day and being with one another was bad enough, gag inducing even. But he knew that if there had been pictures of them being intimate then he didn't know what he might have done. Augustus Kolya was just lucky that he was dead!

"I made sure that they were put away where no-one would see them," Ronon reassured.

John gave a grateful smile to his partner. "Thank you… for everything. I mean it. We really appreciate it… I really appreciate it. You're a great partner… no… a great friend, Ronon, and I'm just glad that you were the one working this case. I know, Elizabeth felt comfortable with knowing that you were trying to find her rapist," he said sincerely.

"Stop, you're gonna make me cry," he just smiled, faking a swipe at his eyes.

John started laughing at his partner. He really was crazy, but he wouldn't have him any other way. Though, he would never admit it out loud, he really respected and appreciated his partner.

Sliding down off of the stool, he turned to face his friend. "Thanks again," he smiled. He began walking towards the front door, but before he reached it, he stopped and turned to face Ronon once again. "Oh, and be at the courthouse for three," he stated.

"Why?" Ronon asked curiously.

"It's a surprise," he replied, a sly smile crossing his lips. "And wear a suit," he stated.

"I always wear a suit," Ronon retorted.

"A nice one!" He exclaimed, and with that he walked out of his friend's apartment, feeling a lot lighter than he had in months.

He was positive that from now on everything was going to be looking up. He could finally see that bright future ahead with Elizabeth and their little girl, and God, was he excited to finally step onto that new path and make his way there.

**~xoXox~**

John couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he let his eyes roam over Elizabeth. The dress, as she had described it to him before the ceremony, was a waterfall style dress in off-white linen with fuchsia-pink candy stripes with a pink statement bow and low 'V' back. It had thick straps and was tight across the bust, but it rested over her five month bump perfectly. Her long, brown curls rested down around her shoulders, a few strands pinned back off of her face. The pink pumps she was wearing tied in the whole outfit.

It wasn't a very traditional outfit, but God, did she look gorgeous, perfect even. Besides, they weren't all that traditional anyway, which was probably why they were currently getting married in a courthouse instead of a church.

He had desperately wanted to give Elizabeth a big wedding, and maybe she could still have one sometime later down the line, but after everything that had happened over the last several months, he had just wanted to make her his wife as soon as possible. He loved her and their unborn child dearly and so, he hadn't wanted to wait a second longer.

He came out of his thoughts when he heard the judge speak to him. "John, will you take, Elizabeth to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

John gave Elizabeth a beaming smile, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I do," he said softly.

The judge finally turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, will you take, John to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Elizabeth smiled and it made John's heart flutter. "I do," she said passionately.

John looked at the judge for a moment, who was smiling. He had been a close friend of his for a long time, ever since he had helped get his son out of a bad situation almost ten years ago. "Okay, may we have the rings please?" He asked, looking to both Teyla and Ronon, their witnesses. Captain O'Neill, Evan, Rodney and Elizabeth's mother were also present.

Smiling, John turned and took Elizabeth's ring from Ronon, and Elizabeth did the same, taking his ring from Teyla. "Thanks," John muttered to his best friend.

The judge spoke once again. "Groom, repeat after me."

"Elizabeth, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," John repeated word for word, slipping the gold band onto her finger.

The judge then turned to Elizabeth. "Bride, repeat after me."

"John, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," she said a little giddily, slipping the simple gold band onto his finger. John smiled, enjoying the feel of the cold ring around his finger. It now meant that he was tied to Elizabeth forever.

He grinned as the moment had finally come, the moment where they were officially bonded together forever. "I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss your bride," the judge exclaimed with a smile.

Laughing happily, John pulled Elizabeth to him and crushed his lips against hers. He slipped his arms around her waist and held onto her for dear life, never wanting to let her go. He let his tongue flick out and traced her upper lip, begging for access, which she willingly gave. Their tongues collided, thrusting and twisting together in a passionate embrace. His heart fluttered when she moaned into his mouth as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth freely. Damn, she tasted so good. Kissing her never got old.

When the need for air became too great, they reluctantly broke the kiss, groaning. John rested his forehead against hers and stared into her mesmerising green eyes. "I love you," he softly murmured, lightly pecking her lips as he moved a hand to rest against the swell of her stomach.

"I love you, too, John," she smiled.

He pulled away from her slightly as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her stomach, his heart fluttering when he heard her giggle. It was like music to his ears.

Straightening up, he held out his arm and grinned when Elizabeth linked hers with his. "Ready, Missus Sheppard?" He asked, the knowledge that she now carried his last name making his heart skip a beat.

"Ready," she grinned.

**~xoXox~**

_Four months later._

"Okay Elizabeth, I'm going to need you to push now." Doctor Beckett gave her a soft smile.

Elizabeth just nodded. The pain she was feeling right now was unbearable. She regretted not taking the epidural. Leaning slightly forward, she kept a tight grip on John's hand as she pushed, screaming out.

"Very good, Elizabeth," the doctor spoke in a reassuring voice.

Elizabeth just collapsed against the pillows, nodding. She was panting, trying to catch some of her breath before the next contraction hit. John rubbed his hand along the top of her head, trying to soothe her. She gave him a small smile. She groaned when another contraction hit. "AHHH!" She screamed out, pushing once again. "It hurts so much!" She cried out.

"I see the head," Doctor Beckett exclaimed.

Elizabeth felt a little relieved. Finally, she was making progress, even though it hurt like hell! "You're doing great, sweetheart," John affectionately murmured, kissing her forehead.

Elizabeth scoffed. "That's easy for you to say. You're not pushing a baby out of your vagina!" She exclaimed, pushing when the next contraction came.

"You can do it, sweetheart," John cheered on.

"I hate you!" Elizabeth cried out. "I fucking hate you! You're never fucking touching me again!"

"I love you, too, 'Lizabeth."

"Oh, _shut up_!"

"Okay, you're almost there, Elizabeth. The shoulders are out. Just one more push and you'll finally be able to meet your wee girl." The doctor smiled.

Elizabeth once again collapsed against the pillows. "I can't." She slightly whimpered, tears falling down her cheeks. She was exhausted. "You do it for me." She looked at John.

"I wish I could, baby." He kissed her forehead. "You can do this. Just one more push and our little girl will be here." He gave her a reassuring smile.

Elizabeth nodded. If John believed that she could do this, then she could do it. Leaning forward again, she screamed out as she pushed with all her might. John's belief in her and the thought of meeting their little girl gave her the will power to push – hard!

"That's it, Elizabeth, you're almost there," the doctor spoke in a reassuring fashion.

Elizabeth let out a cry of relief when she heard a baby cry. It was their baby. Their baby was here, in the world. Finally, after nine months she finally got to meet their baby.

Doctor Beckett smiled and held up the baby. "Congratulations, you have a healthy baby girl." He placed the screaming child against her chest.

Elizabeth let out a sob of relief as she brought a hand up and gently cradled it against her child. "Hello, little girl, I'm your mommy," she whispered softly, placing a gentle kiss to the top of the whimpering baby's head. She had barely heard Doctor Beckett asking if John wanted to cut the cord, her attention had been so rapt up with her little girl.

She smiled when she felt John pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "She's so beautiful," he murmured.

Elizabeth looked up at her husband and gave him a beaming smile. "She's perfect," she whispered, resting her head against his side as she returned her attention to her baby girl.

"Welcome to the world, Ella," John said, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his daughter's head.

Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. She truly was the luckiest woman on Earth.

John had been her silent light through all the darkness, and now he and their little girl was the bright light that lay ahead of her!

The End

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**Author's Note: And it's finished! So what did you think? **

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, added this to favs and alerts. Your support is very much appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed this little story.**

**Review please. :)**


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